We all know breakfast is important. It gets your day started, nourishes your body, helps you lose weight, improves concentration…and protects against lead absorption in your tissues.

OK, that last one isn’t such common knowledge. But it’s a real thing in the world, according to a new study out of China. In a 6-month study, Chinese scientists showed that children who ate breakfast every day lowered their blood levels of lead by 15%, compared with those who skipped it.

That’s a pretty big advantage for a small effort.

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Lead tastes yummy!

I came across this story on Yahoo news today about Toxic Waste® brand Nuclear Sludge® Chew Bars candy being recalled because it’s (wait for it … ) toxic… and thought: “Nah… this is some kind of joke.”

So, I clicked over to the FDA web site, and sure enough—there it is, for immediate release: “Candy Dynamics Recalls Toxic Waste® brand Nuclear Sludge® Chew Bars. (All flavors, by the way.)

Turns out that a recent test performed by the California Department of Public Health has indicated that a lot (#8288A) of the cherry flavor of the candy contains elevated levels of lead (0.24 parts per million; the U.S. FDA tolerance is 0.1 ppm) that potentially could cause health problems, particularly for infants, small children, and pregnant women.

The candy is imported from Pakistan, and distributed nationwide in retail stores and through mail orders. (You can rest assured that no other “Toxic Waste®” brand product is affected by this recall.)

Err… there are just so many things wrong with this picture, I simply have no words. So, allow me to instead share some of the sentiments from people on the Yahoo article: Continue reading »

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Lead poisoning in American children has decreased so radically over the past generation that the CDC set a goal of eradicating it by 2010. Sadly, like polio, the final pockets of it have proven harder to combat.

Lead poisoning has become rare, but it’s by no means extinct yet. The main risk isn’t toys from China or contaminated soil. It’s our old nemesis, lead paint.

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In just a week, contractors doing renovations on homes built before 1978 will be required to be certified to work around lead paint. In addition to classes, these contractors — once just fine wearing shorts and T-shirts to install your new windows — will have to wear wacky looking Tyvek coveralls (see pic), goggles and respirators, hoods, rubber gloves and boots.

According to a story on NPR, they also have to lay plastic sheeting, put up caution tape (oh, how the kids will rejoice!) and hang signs that say “Lead Poison Hazard: Do Not Enter.” (Keeping the leftover caution tape will probably also be verboten. Bummer!) Continue reading »

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The Environmental Health Sciences Organization has been studying the effects of certain vinegars on children and what they have discovered could potentially change the way many of us cook.  According to their findings, the small amounts of lead found in some balsamic and other red wine vinegars can be hazardous to children when consumed regularly. By “regularly,” they mean one tablespoon daily.  And by “hazardous,” they mean it can cause learning and behavioral disorders and diminished IQ. Continue reading »

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