Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., author of the NY Times Bestseller The Fat Flush Plan and The Fast Track ONE-DAY Detox Diet

The miracles of chemistry once seemed like they might be society's salvation, but now, says doctor Baillie-Hamilton, toxic chemicals pollute every aspect of our lives-including our food, water, clothing, homes, workplaces and medicines. An environmental health specialist at Stirling University in Scotland, Baillie-Hamilton details how toxins may be linked to dozens of serious health problems, including immune system diseases, neurological disorders, digestive disorders, hormonal imbalances, cardio-vascular diseases, cancer, hyper-sensitivity, obesity, musculoskeletal disorders and childhood health problems. (A chapter is devoted to each.) "These chemicals are simply not going to go away," Baillie-Hamilton writes, "so we need to adapt to this polluted world if we are to survive." She sounds many alarms, noting, for example, that the World Resources Institute reports "pesticides are a likely cause of immune suppression for millions of people throughout the world" and that 25% of the chemicals in the environment are neurotoxins linked to increased incidence of brain disease. Acknowledging that we cannot eliminate most toxins, the author recommends three steps-a detoxifying supplement program, a seven-day "Desludge Diet" to cleanse the system and a thorough detoxing of the home-and provides specific instructions for each. If only half of what Baillie-Hamilton claims is true, then it's time for more work, studies, answers and action.

From Publishers Weekly. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Would you ever believe that your lipstick was responsible for making you sick? It seems farfetched but our bodies absorb unhealthy amounts of chemicals everyday from products we routinely come in contact with—including cosmetics. Many of these chemicals we ingest such as pesticides and preservatives through our foods and food containers. We drink them in tap water, which contains chemicals leached from contaminated soils, environmental pollutants, and even chemicals added deliberately such as fluoride. We even inhale them in air contaminated with solvents, car fumes, and industrial waste. Unfortunately our bodies were never designed to protect us from this chemical onslaught. Our systems fail to remove most of the chemicals and they begin to build up and that is where the problems arise. This constant poisoning has been linked to the development and triggering of an ever-increasing number of diseases such as asthma, autoimmune diseases, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, thyroid diseases, obesity and many other illnesses.

In TOXIC OVERLOAD: A Doctor’s Plan for Combating the Illnesses Caused by Chemicals in our Foods, Our Homes, and Our Medicine Cabinets (Avery/Penguin Group USA; June 2005; $24.95), Paula Baillie-Hamilton, M.D., Ph.D., reveals the shocking truth that the chemicals in our food, home, and environment are actually the cause of all of these illnesses. She explains how the dramatic increase in the amount of heavy metals and synthetic chemicals used in pesticides, medicines, plastics, rubber, cosmetics, cleaning solvents, and many other common products have caused a build up of toxicity in our bodies that breaks down our natural defences against disease.

As dismal as it sounds, however, Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton offers a light in the darkness by directing readers through a 3-step program designed to flush out harmful toxins and prevent future contamination including:

· A Body Cleansing Supplement Program to strengthen immunity and reverse the damaging effects of toxic chemicals.

· A 7-Day De-Sludge Diet which outlines which chemical-laden foods to avoid, the benefits of organic foods, and meal plans that include whole grains, lean proteins, and low-toxicity fruits and vegetables.

· Home detoxification tips will show readers where dangerous toxins lurk in their homes and how to easily implement chemical-free home and beauty products into their lives.

Unfortunately, these chemicals that are hidden in our everyday products are a part of our life. But there are steps that can be taken to help your body regain its natural state of health and vibrancy. TOXIC OVERLOAD reveals this common thread between these contaminants and over 30 of the commonest 21st century diseases we are now affected by and outlines a program to cleanse the body once and for all!

From dentalplans.com