The Dangers of Hydraulic Fracturing aka "Fracking" and natural Methods to Rebalance the Body

            It was discovered over 150 years ago that natural gas was an unwanted product that flowed from “oil sands” being tapped for their oil supply.  Soon after this discovery, natural gas was used to fuel gas lights and then also as heat source.

Today natural gas is a fuel that has widespread use including heating homes and fuel for electric generating plants as an alternative to coal and nuclear sources. 

Drilling for natural gas is not a new phenomenon.  What is new is the combination of horizontal drilling technology for natural gas combined with hydraulic fracturing also known as “fracking” from subsurface sandstone and deep from shale rock.

Natural gas flows freely from oil sandstone, but shale rock must be broken or fractured to provide pathway for the gas to migrate to the well.  During the process of fracking, high pressure is used to pump water, sandand or ceramic pellets, and chemicals down a bored hole into the gas bearing shale rock.  The sand or ceramic pellets prop open the fractures in the rock.   Oil, gas and the pumped water flows to the well and is recovered on the surface.

The bored hole used for fracking goes down 6-10,000 feet ( 1-2 miles) to the oil and gas bearing reservoir.  Naturally occurring toxicants that are from deep in the earth, ie. heavy metals, volatile organics and radioactive compounds are also mobilized during gas extraction and return to the surface. 

Some of the naturally occurring toxins and radioactive compounds include- arsenic, lead, strontium, barium, benzene, chromium, radium-226, radon-222, uranium-238 amongst others.

Even though these materials are all toxic, the current standards state, “drilling fluids, produced wastes and other wastes associated with the exploration, development and production of natural gas…. are considered solid wastes which are not hazardous wastes.”

This allows the water waste solutions to be spread on roads as deicing solutions and as solutions to minimize dust.  The wastewater is often stored in open well pads which can readily spill into nearby well water, soil and animal grazing pastures.  Volatile compounds like benzene arsine become airborne and effect air quality and health of adjacent communities.  

The fracking process takes place over 2-5 days, but one well may be used multiple times over the 25-40 year lifespan of a well.

There are almost 1,000 products used in natural gas production.  Of these, about 650 are chemicals.  About 90% of these chemicals have at least one known potential health effect on the body.  Almost half are known to disrupt the endocrine system, affecting development and reproduction.

The endocrine system is the bodily system of glands and hormones that regulate body growth, response to stress, sexual development and behavior, production and use of insulin, rate of metabolism, intelligence and behavior and ability to reproduce.  The endocrine system operates at very low concentration of hormones, making it very susceptible to damage at very low exposure to harmful chemicals.

 

Affects of exposure on the endocrine system include reduced sperm production, infertility, hormone imbalances and other effects on the glands (pineal, pituitary, thyroid, thymus, pancreas, adrenals, ovaries, testes).  These affects may not show up for years after exposure.

Immediate symptoms seen are: 

• burning eyes, rashes, coughs, sore throats, asthma-like effects, nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, tremors and convulsions. 
• Cancer, organ damage, and harm to the endocrine system may not appear for months or years.

Many chemicals affect more than one system of the body.

•  Over 75% are associated with skin, eye or sensory organ effects, respiratory effects, gastrointestinal or liver effects
•  Half effects the brain and nervous system
• About 40% effect the immune system and kidneys
• Half effect the cardiovascular system and blood
•  25% are linked to various types of cancer 
• 30% are linked to genetic  mutations
• Approximately 210 chemicals are water soluble
• 131 are volatile (are easily airborne)
• The volatile chemicals produce higher percentage of affects on the organ systems of the body because they can be inhaled, swallowed and also reach the skin

Knowledge is power and we have natural remedies and health regimens to help protect yourself if exposed to the chemicals released during fracking.

The following Herbal Teas are available to offset the effects of fracking on the body:

• Seven Seeds
•  Men’s Formulas
• Women’s Formula
• Lung Builder  
• Heart Care 
• Liver Care
• Kidney Care
• Good Digestion
• Anti-Tumor Formula
• Man Power

Below are lists of other herbs, foods and essential oils to include in your health regimen:

Endocrine Restoring Herbs

• Astragulus
• Ashwanganda
• White ginseng
• Red ginseng
• Siberian ginseng
• Rhodiola
• Gynostemma

Liver Herbs

• Burdock root- cleanse the liver and lymph 
• Dandelion root- detoxifies and nourishes
• Nettle leaf- liver and blood tonic, especially for women
• Seaweed
• Wild Yam- important hormone precursors
• Yellowdock- tonic herb for the liver and cleanser, blood and overall health

Liquid minerals- cellular function, enzyme production

To Encourage Proper Hormone health

• Keep the liver clean
• Consume enzyme rich foods- raw foods
• High fiber diet
•  Avoid processed foods, foods grown with chemicals, body and hair products with chemicals and use of any synthetic chemicals.

Essential Oils for Endocrine Health

• Tea Tree
• Cardamom
• Melissa
• Myrtle
• Niaouli
• Orange

Juicing

• Alfalfa- high in minerals
• Asparagus- kidney health
• Beet juice- anti-cancer
• Brussel sprouts- pancreas health
• Celery juice- for the skin- eczema and psoriasis
• Cucumber- skin health
• Potato juice- heavy metal detoxification
• Radish juice- thyroid balancing
• Tomato juice- liver health
• Wheatgrass, Barley grass- High in chlorophyll, blood building and cleaning