to water hardness as the main cause. Water hardness means that there is magnesium in the water with calcium playing a role. Some research has completely discredited this evidence, and has found that the more magnesium in the water the less chance of death cardiovascular disease. Radiation Natural radiation is found everywhere; it is in the air, water, soil, rocks, minerals and food. The largest amount of radiation comes from radon. Certain places are called 'high background radiation areas' (HBRAs), such as Guarapari, Southwest of France, Ramsar, parts of China, and Kerala Coast. People living in these areas however have not shown any health deficiencies and in some cases are even healthier and live longer than those not in HBRAs. Other issues Among the problems presented there are also issues with fluoride in Africa and India, arsenic in Argentina, Chile, and Taiwan, selenium in areas of the United States, Venezuela, China and nitrate in agricultural areas. As medical geology grows it may become more important to the medical field in relation to the issue of diseases. In addition to deficiencies of particular minerals, dietary excesses of certain elements occurring in specific geographic regions can also be harmful to human health, as per the examples listed below: Hyperkalemia: excess amount of potassium Hypercalcemia: excess amount of calcium Hyperphosphatemia: excess amount of phosphorus International Medical Geology Association "The International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) aims to provide a network and a forum to bring together the combined expertise of geologists and earth scientists, environmental scientists, toxicologists, epidemiologists, and medical specialists, in order to characterize the properties of geological processes and agents, the dispersal of geological material and their effects on human population." IMGA was founded in 2006 and manages affairs and funds, plans conferences, elections and publications, and they are also a way of encouraging growth and recognition in the field. Although it was founded in 2006, it was a work in progress for ten years when a working group of medical geology was established by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) in 1996. The goal of the working group was to advertise and make people aware of the harmful effects the environment has on our health. References USGS Medical Geology Accessed 22 July 2006 Medical Geology - Geotimes Nov. 2001 accessed 28 January 2006 Bunnell, Joseph E. (2004) Medical Geology: Emerging Discipline on the Ecosystem-Human Health Interface, Ecohealth PDF file accessed