Keep Away from GRAS is a compilation of empirical and anecdotal evidence that leads to one inevitable conclusion: many of the substances we encounter and consume on a daily basis, substances considered "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS), may actually have serious consequences for our health and well-being.
As an internal medicine physician, author Marcela Magda Popa, MD, has seen the effect that repeated, low-dose exposure to certain common chemicals and environmental factors has had on her health and on some of her patients, who reported similar complaints. As a patient with autoimmune arthritis-that forced her into early retirement, breast abnormalities, and migraine headaches-she sought to find the environmental contributors to her disorders, and she did.
Investigating the existing information from the specialty literature, Dr. Popa found that GRAS substances may be linked to multiple other disorders, not just the ones she directly experienced. The modern medicine does not routinely take these substances into account, physicians do not usually inquire or point out these possible connections. Therefore, it is quite likely that similar complaints are more widespread but not often reported.
Through research and experimentation, she discovered that supposedly "safe" substances which she encountered daily caused or worsened her symptoms and eliminated them from her routine, much to her benefit. Now, she is sharing this valuable information with other patients so that they too can make the changes they need to live happier, healthier lives.
