Customer Reviews

Our Toxic World: A Wake Up Call

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Author Doris J. Rapp, M.D. is Board Certified in Environmental Medicine, Pediatrics and Allergies. In her book "Our Toxic World" she shares her knowledge of how everyday toxins in our environment affect us. The reality is that chemicals are everywhere in our lives and it is nearly impossible to completely escape them. It would surprise most people to find that these chemicals not only affect our physical health but also our actions, behavior (aggression, fatigue, hyperactivity, etc.), fertility, and even our memory. Through this book Doris Rapp rings the alarm about how pesticides and chemicals have become major factors in chronic illnesses of all kinds.

Of course the book is not just about all the problems of toxins but also includes sound advice on how to choose safer products and protect yourself. She also dedicates several chapters to discussing wildlife research data and lab data. While this is interesting information to a point, she includes so much detail and so many examples that it starts to read like a research paper instead of a book for the general public.

I did like her summarizing statement that we are creating stronger more chemically-resistant pests and weeds and weaker, more unhealthy humans. In addition to the toxins she also discusses genetic engineering and the potential health problems it may cause. If you are concerned about the toxic environment and how it may be affecting your health you will be hard pressed to find a more informative, better-documented book than "Our Toxic World".

"Our Toxic World - A Wake Up Call" by Dr.Doris J.Rapp, M.D., is a detailed account of the serious health challenges posed by increasing pollution of our air, water and thus the food chain. In a little more than 510 pages, Dr.Rapp, a Board Certified Doctor of Environmental Medicine, Pediatrics and Allergies, deals in detail with the various effects of many chemical pollutants that are now common in most of the developed countries, especially, the USA.

Chapter 1 titled, "Chemicals and Pesticides Can Hurt You and Those You Love" lays the groundwork for the whole book. The next Chapter, "How Can You Tell If Chemicals Hurt You?" describes the symptoms of illnesses set off by chemicals. The next chapter deals with methods of prevention to exposure and other actions to be taken after exposure. Chapter 4 explores in detail, whether the chemicals can affect the behavior, activity and learning etc. of children. Chapter 5 deals with a very important aspect of pollution, namely the effect on sex, including feminisation, masculinisation, infertility etc., in animals and humans.

Chapters 6 to 10 study the extent of the contamination, what one can do to minimise the effects, the ineffectiveness of the present governmental efforts in USA etc. Then follows a summary of the entire book and some useful Appendices.

One may or may not agree with the alarmist approach of Dr.Rapp, but there is no doubt that environmental health has become a major area for further research. If you or your loved ones, friends etc. are suffering from severe allergies and other vague illnesses, it may be useful to check out whether any of the common pollutants could be the reason.

The 'homeopathic' remedies described by Dr.Rapp are mixtures and thus will not be classified as truly homeopathic by purists. But if she found them useful, the average man on the road can probably try them out. A classical homeopath will of course, try to correct the excess sensitivity at the constitutional level and will also antidote the negative symptoms of physiological doses.

The book is not easy to read in the sense that it is too detailed. But one will get a lot of information and a number of references about the points covered. In that aspect, the book is certainly useful.

In this comprehensive book Dr. Doris Rapp brings the full spectrum of multiple chemical sensitivities into public awareness, warning us that chemicals and pesticides adversely affect children's behavior, learning and development and are contributing to -- or causing -- the epidemic of allergies, infertility, birth defects, thyroid disorders, cancer and autoimmune disease. In addition, she warns of the growing threat of genetically modified foods, growth hormones and food irradiation. What's most remarkable though is that she employs a common-sense style that leaves readers feeling empowered and not just overwhelmed. With the gift of a wise pediatrician who has counseled clients for years, Dr. Doris offers practical advice, including how to know when toxic chemicals have harmed us, what to do about them, when to try healing protocols, how to find a non-toxic home, school or workplace, why to buy organic foods, even why parents should NEVER choose soy formula for their infants. This book is more than a wakeup call; its a fount of lifesaving information.

As a naturopath who works with many allergic and environmentally sensitive patients, I wholeheartedly recommend this book. In great depth, Dr. Rapp talks about the multiple factors that are causing so much ill health and suffering in our toxic world. Readers will find the author to be kind, compassionate and practical with "nuts and bolts" tips. She was a pioneer in this field and in this book shows she is at the top of her game. I hope she'll do a cookbook next as so many of the existing allergy cookbooks contain so much poor information, Dr. Rapp has a great website [...].

When I first read the title, my first thought is "I know this, I've heard it before".

That is how I felt. Until I read the book. What an eye opener!

I happen to be one who rarely gets sick, and recovers quickly when I do. I also tend to opt for a healthier life style. However, there is a family history of cancer.

In reading this book, I realized that there is even more that I need to be doing to protect myself and my family. Dr. Rapp has done a considerable amount of research and shares her findings with the reader. Research references are listed at the end of each chapter for those wanting to learn even more.

If you own a home you need to read this book. If you rent a home or apartment, you need to know the information in this book. If you golf or live near a golf course, this book is for you. If you have children or grandchildren in school, consider reading this book.

As a pediatric nurse, I am deeply concerned about the increasing numbers of children who are falling prey to the deadly combination of environmental illness and toxic foods. We need a modern Florence Nightingale to light the way and go to bat to save our children and the environment from the increasing numbers of toxins. Read this book, become informed and please help. Other truthtelling books you may find of interest are SEEDS OF DECEPTION by Jeffrey Smith, THE FLUORIDE DECEPTION by Christopher Bryson, OUR STOLEN FUTURE by Theo Colborn and THE WHOLE SOY STORY; THE DARK SIDE OF AMERICA'S FAVORITE HEALTH FOOD by Kaayla Daniel.

I have read all her books. This is the best. EVERY HOME SHOULD HAVE A COPY.

The topic is important and Dr. Rapp's goal is ambitious, but several things get in the way:

1) Page 3: "It typically occurs shortly after exposures to either an extremely minute or a large amount of one or more unrelated chemicals for either very brief or prolonged periods of time." Huh??? This sentence is trying answer the question "What Exactly is Chemical Sensitivity?" but it is anything but "exact" because it covers everything from a little to a lot from one or some or many for brief or long exposures. A sentence that includes everything says nothing.

2) Page 14: "2,4-D and 2,4,5-T are two herbicide chemicals that continue to be used on lawns...These specific chemicals are similar to the toxic ingredients such as dioxin in the infamous Agent Orange used to defoliate Vietnam." Not quite: Agent Orange is a 1:1 ratio of these two chemicals (2,4-D & 2,4,5-T), and dioxin is in Agent Orange because dioxin is a byproduct of manufacturing 2,4,5-T. So, what's with the roundabout language of "similar to"? Looks like a harmless, but distracting mistake. Well, there is harm to the credibility of the author.

3) Page 17: "It has been reported that mothers who use an organophosphate flea shampoo (dichlorvos) on their pet during their pregnancy double the chance of a brain tumor developing in their unborn baby by the age of five years." This is suspiciously vague. The footnote identifies not a scientific study but a book from 1995, "Living Healthy in a Toxic World." So this is just hearsay? Is the phrase "it has been reported" a tricky way to make the reader think there is proof for mere speculation? Actually, I found NIH (National Institutes of Health) documents on studies that found linkage between flea collars and tumors (Google "Household pesticides and risk of pediatric brain tumors"). Better writing would identify peer-reviewed studies, not another general audience book. Please make it easy for us to verify claims that sound exaggerated. Burying the source weakens the case.

4) Page 25 gives phone numbers in parenthesis for practitioners of "newer chiropractic" techniques. These are listed as part of a case study, making it easy for the reader to get the same products or services if suffering from the same symptoms. When someone both analyzes a problem and pitches specific products or services, I'm suspicious. How objective is the analysis if the author appears to be selling something? Dr. Rapp may not benefit from these referrals--they may be earnest and innocent efforts to help the reader to better health--but I prefer an arms-length separation between diagnosis and sales. Please prescribe generic treatments and, at most, provide an appendix listing multiple sources for each.

These problems derailed my reading. While I appreciate the topic and the intent of the author, I don't have time to read a book that confuses me and makes me suspicious that the analysis is biased. I would welcome a new edition of "Our Toxic World" with better editing, footnotes to peer-reviewed studies, and no pitches for specific products or services. I will read that book.

I am the Director of Education for the Foresight Nanotech Institute and the author of Technology Challenged: Understanding Our Creations & Choosing Our Future.

Everyone should read this book. It will change your life and how you live, even where you live. Every product in this world will have an effect on one's health.

Toxins are everywhere. They're in the water we drink, the air we breath, the food we eat and its packaging, the clothes we wear, our cleaning, hygiene and cosmetic products, sofas, carpets, draperies, wallpaper, garden products, electronics, cars, home construction and pest prevention, you name it. We're swimming in a sea of toxins.

The way to get well is to reduce or eliminate the toxins in our environment and help our bodies reduce their toxic burden. From food sensitivities to occupational exposure, this book will teach you how to pinpoint where the problems originate and make changes to eliminate these poisons and regain your health.

Our Toxic World is geared toward those with chemical sensitivities, but anyone who wants to look forward to a long and productive life can benefit from reading it. Doris provides extensive scientific studies showing the prevalence of toxins and their affects on animals and humans.

"[Woman] now have more birth-damaged or developmentally or learning-disabled babies, miscarriages, stillborns, infertility and endometriosis than ever before. If a pregnant woman uses flea soap, or a pest collar on her dog, her unborn child has a 4 to 6-fold increased chance of developing a brain tumor, leukemia or a lymphoma by the age of six years" -- Doris Rapp, M.D.

In this book you'll learn:

* How chemicals can harm you
* How to tell if chemicals are causing your illness
* Steps to take to reduce exposure
* Effects of toxins on development and learning in children
* How chemicals cause reproductive harm
* How to test the level of chemicals in your body and home
* Examples of some of the most toxic chemicals and government's unwillingness to deal with the problem head on
* How to protect your home
* Genetic engineering and food contamination
* Examples of people exposed to chemicals causing illness

Additionally, the appendices provide information on elimination diets for determining food sensitivities, recommended books, health professionals to contact, resources for home evaluations, diagnosis and treatment tests, homeopathic remedies, alternative diagnostics tests, and professional and public information sources. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.