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[Guest guest]

> Indians used 90% lead coated utencils untill the

> introduction of stainless steel.

> In those days people also lived 90 years and very

> little diabetease .50 years back stainless steel came,

> now a lot of diabetease .

> I feel it may be due to the non use of lead utencils;

> as stainless steel occupied all kitchen.

>

> R.Vidhyasagar.

>

 

Dear Dr. Vidhyasagar,

 

I always appreciate your posts and respect your opinions. Please

note that I am not saying that bhasmas and rasayogas aren't

effective. The drug in question was given to a pregnant woman which

dramatically elevated maternal and fetal serum lead levels. My point

is that despite efficacy, is it worth the risk of causing permanent

damage? Even in India this issue is being raised as a vitally

important issue, for e.g. http://www.leadpoison.net.

 

I would like to learn more about what you mean by lead utensils being

used 50 years back, and the use of stainless steel causing diabetes.

I think that we could more easily attribute the rise of diabetes in

the last 50 yrs to the industrial refinement of grains, and the

increased access to white sugar. After all, how many of your

countrymen eat rice that hasn't been polished? How many select only

fruits and jaggery to white sugar? The Romans were notable for their

use of lead, and many historians have claimed this was the reason

behind their decline.

 

In 1991 Thorat and Dahanukar came out with an interesting study that

showed how aconite processed according to Ayurvedic samskaras had no

toxicity, as compared to the very toxic effects of the unprocessed

aconite. If researchers in India are able to come up with similar

toxicological trials, proving the safety of bhasmas it would go along

way to alleviating any concern I have. However, when it has been

shown that such preparations cause intoxication, I cannot support it

on faith alone.

Caldecott

todd

www.toddcaldecott.com