Thursday, April 28, 2005

The poison is in the dose...

..Is there a tonic in the toxin? Written by Nell Boyce and published in US News and World Report October 18, 2004 - I recommend you read it. You've heard it before. The Salk vaccine demolished polio; penicillin knocks out all sorts of infection. Acetylsalicylic Acid (aspirin) is good for all sorts of aches and pains. Several doses taken daily might possibly damage your stomach lining. Too much will kill you. Salt - a little replaces salts used during physical activity. It enhances flavor in foods. Too much will kill you. Water - we need it... too much? Yeah, you're right! ..and of course we can go on and on.

What is hormesis? Why should we know more about it? ...because the antithesis - the Precautionary Principle adhered to by extremists today would make it illegal to use those items mentioned in my lead paragraph; that's why! Hormesis, according to the CancerWeb online dictionary is 'An effect where a toxic substance acts like a stimulant in small doses, but it is an inhibitor in large doses. ' In plain English, a lot of it could possibly hurt or kill you; a little bit might be good for you. Jeepers! My mom used to say, 'Don't worry about it! You'll eat a bushel of dirt before you die.' Come on, don't tell me she was right again.

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