As I write this, two brave men in Austin are on the third day of a hunger strike in front of City Hall protesting the highly controversial issue that is water fluoridation. They sleep on the lawn in front of the building, and are refusing to move or eat until they are either detained by the authorities (who brought them coffee this morning), or until the City Hall reconvenes on January 23, 2014. The fluoridation of water began in the 1940’s as a way to reduce cavities in the general population, but due to recent studies it has come under fire for being unethical, unhealthy, and unsafe for the environment. Most of the European Union has discontinued this practice, but the United States continues to medicate its citizens without their consent. Although the concentration of fluoride in water is controlled by the government, the dosage is not–and that’s precisely where the danger lies, because if you are a formula drinking infant, a minority, have kidney or renal failure, are an athlete, or drink a lot of water, your bones, teeth, and brain are in danger.
There is no informed consent of the masses regarding the fluoridation of water, which is a direct violation of the Geneva Convention–and is considered a crime against humanity as such. The fluoride used in Austin is not medical grade, and is in fact a byproduct of phosphate fertilizer (a.k.a. toxic waste), and this is true for most of America. Fluoride is also highly corrosive and leaches lead from pipelines into your drinking water. The city of Austin alone spends $800,000 of taxpayer money every year to continue this practice, with no regard to any health issues brought to light by multiple speakers and studies presented by a concerned public.
High levels of fluoride have been linked to diminished brain function in children, and deposits of aluminum in the brain–which is found in Alzheimer’s patients. About 25% of Alzheimer’s cases worldwide occur in the United States. Fluoride is also detrimental to bone health, leading to skeletal fluorosis, bone fractures, and dense, weak bones. High dosages of fluoride are linked to depression, headaches, the loss of teeth, dental fluorosis, gastrointestinal problems, muscle weakness, and allergic reactions.
Minorities, such as African Americans, are more affected by the fluoride in water because studies show they drink more plain water than Caucasians, and tend to breastfeed less. Central Asians and East Asians are also disproportionately affected because of their lactose-intolerance, which means they would drink more water than Caucasians who are more likely to drink dairy milk instead. If a lactose-intolerant person would be highly affected by the fluoride in water, I think it would be safe to group vegans into this category as well, since we also choose not to include milk into our diets!
The FDA does not regulate bottled water, so there is no possible way of knowing whether it has fluoride in it. Most tap water in the U.S. is fluoridated, so what are we to do? Brita filters, freezing water, and boiling water will not change the fluoride content (in fact, boiling water will concentrate the fluoride). Black and red teas have high levels of fluoride, so it is best to avoid them, as well as fluoride supplements. Reverse osmosis water filters, activated alumina defluoridation filters, and distillation filtration will take care of the problem in your home, but becoming an educator about the subject will do more. Only through awareness and activism will the fluoridation of water finally be stopped. Talk to people, be active in social media, call or write to your local representatives, and do what you can to ensure safe water for yourself, the people around you, and future generations. No one can avoid drinking water, and this is not a subject to be taken lightly.
The facebook page for the Austin Fluoride Hunger Strike: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Austin-Fluoride-Hunger-Strike/237099303125437
Their online petition: https://www.change.org/petitions/austin-city-council-stop-the-artificial-fluoridation-of-austin-s-drinking-water
More Fluoride and water articles on PD:
Michelle Obama’s Disappointing Drink Up Campaign
If You Think You Have Slow Metabolism, This Could be the Culprit
Related: Why You Should Care About GM Wheat
