Another World: Tourists view some of Bali’s stunning marine life during a “seawalk” off the beach in Sanur in the island’s south, the only such up-close-and-personal experience in Southeast Asia, according to the operating firm, Bali Seawalker Tours. “Lots of our customers don’t know how to swim - for many it’s their first time in the ocean,” says the adventure company.

Toxemia is the medical term that defines a condition in which our bodies accumulate poisonous substances to such a point that levels exceed the ability of our body systems to cleanse them away. Thanks to today’s contemporary lifestyle of fast foods, our 24/7/365 accessibility and the growing pressures of many of us in our professional and personal lives, we have become a population of toxemics. Medical conditions associated with toxemia include:

•     Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, F and G

•     Liver damage, including cirrhosis

•     Diarrhea

•     Constipation

•     Irritable bowel syndrome

•     Leaky gut syndrome

There are several ways in which you can manage and reduce your exposure to toxins; toxic load reduction and detoxification are proven ways in which you can positively impact how long, and how well, you live. We review some of these strategies in this article.

Lower the Lead. A lifetime of low-level exposure to lead in the environment may contribute to mental decline as we age, reported researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in 2005. Tracking 466 men averaging 67 years of age, the team found that the higher the men’s level of lead present in the kneecap, a bone marker of cumulative lead exposure, the worse they scored in tests of memory, attention, language, and other mental functions. A separate study by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that accumulated lead exposure increases the risk of cataracts, a leading cause of age-related blindness. The team tracked 642 men aged 60 and older for five years, finding that those who developed cataracts had increased levels of lead in their bones.

Older people, who are prone to osteoporosis, are particularly vulnerable to the damaging effects of lead because the toxin lodges in bone poses and can be released over a long period of time into the bloodstream, allowing it to damage body tissue.

Lead is no longer present in gasoline and paints available in the US, but leaded products may be available in other nations, putting those residents at-risk. Drinking water may also be a possible source of lead, as the toxin can be introduced via older plumbing.

Breathe Easy. People spend about 90 percent of their time indoors. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the air within homes and other buildings can be seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.  Consequently, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors. Cut down on indoor triggers of allergies and asthma by following these simple tips:

•     Remove pets from the home and thoroughly clean to eliminate their dander.

•     Opt for leather furniture rather than upholstered pieces, since leather is an impervious material that is resistant to breeding dust mites.

•     Eliminate carpet and drapes.

•     Dust both vertical and horizontal surfaces weekly.

•     Keep indoor humidity below 50 percent year round.

•     Open windows for an hour each day during dry seasons to improve ventilation.

•     Use a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) air filter in the bedroom

•     Clean mold off shower curtains, bathroom and basement walls and other surfaces with a solution of bleach, detergent and water.

•     Use a dehumidifier if your basement is damp or musty.

•     Never allow smoking in the house.

For Best Rest. According to the Battelle Memorial Institute, the indoor environment has higher contaminant levels and provides more immediate and prolonged exposure to pollutants. We spend just about a third of our days sleeping, so it’s important that the air in your bedroom be as pristine as possible. Some tips to minimize bedroom allergens:

•     Vacuum often with a HEPA filter vacuum, which prevents dust particles from recirculating.

•     Wash bedding weekly in hot water (130°F) and dry in a hot dryer.

•     Replace bedding made of natural materials like down and cotton with bedding made of synthetic fibers.

•     Encase mattresses and pillows in dust mite-proof covers. Wash blankets and pillowcases that aren’t encased once a week in hot water.

•     Do not allow pets into the bedroom. A study by Dr. Shepard of the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center reported that 53 percent of pet owners permitting the animal in the sleeping room had disrupted sleep every night. Pet allergies can also contribute to problems breathing during sleep.

•     Leave dust-prone plants, knick-knacks, and fuzzy stuffed toys out of the bedroom.

Not So Fine. Fine particles - that is, particulate matter in the air measuring less than 2.5 microns in diameter - can cause serious health problems. According to the American Lung Association, “tens of thousands of premature deaths each year are attributed to fine particle air pollution,” microscopic substances such as acid aerosols, organic chemicals, metals and carbon soot.

Long-term studies have repeatedly shown that people living in areas with high fine particle concentration may have their lives shortened by 1 to 2 years on average.

Flush with Food. Include fiber in your everyday diet, because fiber can promote the digestive and elimination processes to help your body get rid of toxins. Fiber soaks up fat. A high-fiber diet can improve your digestion, relieve the strain on your liver and gall bladder, and reduce your risk of large bowel cancer, gallstones, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, colitis, hemorrhoids, hernia and varicose veins. Your body will benefit from both soluble fiber (sources include dried beans, oats, barley, apples, citrus fruits and potatoes) and insoluble fiber (found in whole grains, wheat bran, cereals, seeds and the skins of many fruits and vegetables). Aim for the US Department of Agriculture’s recommended intake of 25 to 30 grams of daily fiber a day.

Drs. Goldman and Klatz are the co-founders of the anti-aging medical movement and serve, respectively, as chairman and president of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, a non-profit medical organization dedicated to the advancement of technology to detect, prevent and treat aging-related disease and to promote research into methods to retard and optimize the human aging process.

BOGOR, West Java ~ US President George W. Bush praised Indonesia’s “pluralism and its diversity” during his visit here this week and said the world should look to the predominantly Muslim country as an example.

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SYDNEY ~ The world may have already averted a bird flu pandemic by widespread chicken culls and the isolation of infected humans, Australia’s chief medical officer said in a report released this week.

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DENPASAR ~ A Canadian man and an Australian woman have been arrested in separate raids for the possession of narcotics in Bali, police said.

A former marine from Canada was arrested at the weekend after police found marijuana on the man in a weekend drugs raid and faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment, provincial deputy police spokeswoman Sri Harmiti told reporters.

Police swooped on bars in the popular Legian entertainment strip on Saturday night and found 0.2 grams of marijuana in the Canadian’s pockets, she said.

Another 3.2 grams of the drug were found when police escorted the man, identified as “Morgan JM,” back to his hotel room, she said.

Meanwhile, Michelle Dawn Condon, 35, was carrying a small amount of crystal methamphetamine when she was arrested in Denpasar last Thursday, said Harmiti.

Condon had bought the drugs, weighing 0.2 grams, for Rp200,000 (US$21.90) from an unidentified dealer, Harmiti said.

Under Indonesian law, Condon faces a maximum of five years imprisonment and a fine of Rp100 million if found guilty in court.

She is the latest Australian arrested in Indonesia for drugs. Six others have been sentenced to death for drug trafficking, with two opportunities to appeal.

They are members of the so-called “Bali Nine,” who were convicted of smuggling heroin in Bali. The other three were given life sentences.

The Bali Nine are among a number of Australians who have faced drugs charges here in recent years, including Schapelle Corby, who was convicted of trafficking marijuana. She was jailed for 20 years.

The authorities have been handing down stiff penalties for drug traffickers and users, with 35 other convicts on death row for narcotics offences.

JAKARTA ~ A Muslim militant was sentenced to life imprisonment in Central Java on Wednesday after he was found guilty of assisting one of Southeast Asia’s most wanted terrorists.

Subur Sugiarto, alias Abu Mujahid, was jailed for life for serving as a top aide to Malaysian bombmaker Noordin Mohammad Top while he was on the run in 2005 in Central Java.

Sugiarto was found guilty of “taking part in an act of terrorism” by hiding Noordin and of illegal possession of weapons and explosives, said judge Muhammad Effendi Murod.

The militant shouted “Allahu Akbar (God is great)” when the judge closed the trial and ordered him put behind bars.

Prosecutors had earlier urged Sugiarto be executed by firing squad.

The same district court earlier in the day sentenced 29-year-old Ardi Wibowo, a fellow defendant of Sugiarto, to six years in jail for failing to report to the authorities the whereabouts of Noordin.

“The defendant should have realized that what he did was against the law and caused unrest among the population,” Muryanto said.

Wibowo’s lawyer said he would appeal the verdict, which was one year lighter than prosecutors had recommended.

Wibowo was accused of having acted as a go-between for Noordin and Sugiarto while in Semarang in August this year.

Noordin and his fellow Malaysian, Azahari Husin, who was slain during a police raid in November, were key members of the Al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah extremist network, blamed for a series of terrorist attacks.

JAKARTA ~ The government has agreed to buy weaponry worth US$1 billion from Russia over the next five years to beef up its military capability, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said.

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