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The Toxic Truth—How Environmental Pollutants Threaten Our Health

July 22, 2024

Every second, 683 pounds of toxic chemicals are being dumped into our environment by industrial facilities worldwide. To put that in perspective, it’s roughly the weight of a grand piano—and it’s growing larger each year. 

This army of invisible pollutants is invading our lives from air, land, and water, now contributing to a staggering 10 million tons of toxic waste annually—two million of which are known carcinogens. 

Just how serious is this issue, and how can you protect yourself and your family? Let’s dive into the details. 

The Science: Why Toxins Matter

Constant exposure to environmental toxins through inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact leads to bioaccumulation in body tissues, which can cause serious damage to your health.¹ 

These toxins are linked to many common diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and dementia.²⁻⁴ Some of them are also known as obesogens (promoting obesity) and autogens (causing autoimmune disease).⁵⁻⁶  

The insidious nature of these health effects lies in their gradual onset. This makes it difficult to pinpoint a single cause. Often, it’s the cumulative effect of years of exposure that leads to disease. 

Young children, pregnant women, and their unborn babies are particularly vulnerable, with exposure leading to all kinds of health problems.⁷⁻⁸

How Toxins Cause Health Problems

Environmental toxins can wreak havoc on your health through several damaging mechanisms. They cause cellular damage by attacking DNA, proteins, and cell membranes, leading to tissue and organ damage. Toxins also generate free radicals, triggering oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and accelerated aging, which increase disease risk.

Here are few examples of how toxins can lead to health issues:

Increased Cancer Risk: Carcinogens like asbestos, benzene, and certain heavy metals cause DNA mutations leading to uncontrolled cell growth. Pesticides and industrial chemicals increase the risk of cancers like breast cancer, leukemia, and liver cancer.

Hormonal Disruption: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with hormonal functions, leading to reproductive issues, metabolic disorders, immune deficiencies, and hormone-dependent tumors. These chemicals mimic, enhance, disable, or alter hormonal signals, causing significant health problems.

Metabolic and Autoimmune Conditions: Toxins can trigger immune responses, leading to inflammation and autoimmunity. Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis are associated with exposure to heavy metals, solvents, and pollutants.

Neurological Conditions: Toxins affect the nervous system, causing developmental delays, cognitive impairment, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorders. Heavy metals like lead and mercury impair memory, attention, and language skills, contributing to mental health issues later in life.

The Reason Toxins Are So Bad

Imagine your body is like a bucket, and all the toxins you’re exposed to (this is called “toxic load”) are like water being poured into that bucket.

There are many types of toxins we encounter in our everyday lives that can come from all sorts of places:

• The air you breathe (pollution, smoke)
• The food you eat (pesticides, additives)
• The products you use (cleaning supplies, cosmetics)
• Even stress can be considered a kind of toxin

Now, your body has natural ways of dealing with these toxins—think of it like having a small drain at the bottom of your bucket. Your liver, kidneys, and other organs work to filter out and get rid of harmful substances.

But here’s the thing: If too much is being poured in too quickly, your bucket starts to fill up faster than it can drain. This is what we call “toxic overload.”

When your toxic load gets too high, it’s like your bucket overflows. This is when you might start to feel unwell or experience various health issues. Your body is essentially saying, “Whoa, there's too much here for me to handle all at once!”

The key is to try to reduce the amount of toxins coming in—by making healthier choices in what you eat and what products you use—and to support your body's natural detoxification processes through exercise, good sleep, and staying hydrated.

Common Environmental Toxins You Need to Know About⁹

Heavy metals: These are among the most harmful environmental toxins, posing serious health risks even at low levels of exposure. They accumulate in the body over time, leading to various chronic health issues. The top five “worst for your health” heavy metals are:

• Lead: This heavy metal is notorious for its detrimental effects on the nervous system, especially in children. Lead exposure can cause cognitive deficits, developmental delays, and behavioral problems.
  
  
• Mercury: Found in certain fish, industrial emissions, and dental amalgams, mercury is highly toxic to the nervous system. It can cause neurological and developmental disorders, impair cognitive function, and damage the kidneys and immune system.
  
  
• Cadmium: Commonly found in cigarette smoke, industrial emissions, and contaminated food, cadmium can cause lung and kidney damage, bone demineralization, and an increased risk of cancer.
  
  
• Arsenic: Often present in contaminated water and food, arsenic exposure is associated with skin lesions, cardiovascular diseases, and an increased risk of various cancers. Chronic exposure can lead to severe systemic toxicity and organ damage.
  
  
• Chromium: While certain forms of chromium are essential nutrients, hexavalent chromium is highly toxic. Found in industrial waste, it can cause respiratory problems, skin reactions, and an increased risk of lung cancer.

Phthalates: Found in plastics, personal care products, and household items, phthalates are linked to reproductive issues, hormonal imbalances, and increased risk of asthma and allergies in children.

Bisphenol A (BPA): Used in plastic containers and food linings, BPA affects reproductive systems, disrupts hormones, and causes developmental disorders, and cancer.

Organophosphates: Widely used in modern farming, organophosphates like glyphosate in Roundup, pose serious health risks even at low exposure levels. They can disrupt the endocrine system, accumulate in the body, and potentially cause neurological disorders, cognitive deficits, developmental delays, and increase cancer risk.

Parabens: Preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products, parabens mimic estrogen, leading to hormonal imbalances, breast cancer, and reproductive toxicity.

Dioxins: By-products of industrial processes and waste burning, dioxins are classified as human carcinogens, causing reproductive and developmental issues, immune system damage, and hormone interference.

PFAS: Found in non-stick cookware and water-repellent clothing, PFAS are linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and immune system harm.

DDT: A banned pesticide, DDT lingers in the environment, causing cancer, reproductive issues, and endocrine disruption.

Oxybenzone: A common sunscreen ingredient, oxybenzone disrupts hormones and causes allergic reactions, also harming coral reefs.

Synthetic Dyes: Used in food, drinks, and cosmetics, synthetic dyes cause hyperactivity in children, allergies, and cancer.

How to Detox Your Life

► Reduce Exposure

• Avoid plastics, especially those with recycling codes 3, 6, and 7, as they are more likely to contain EDCs like BPA and phthalates.
  
  
• Choose fresh, organic, and unprocessed foods over canned, packaged, and processed foods that may contain EDCs. (BPA is widely used in producing epoxy resins that line canned foodstuff to prevent corrosion and preserve the food’s taste.)
  
  
• Avoid personal care products with fragrances, which can contain phthalates. (This includes many scented candles made with paraffin wax.)
  
  
• Use glass, stainless steel, or ceramic containers instead of plastic for food storage.

• Toss out your Teflon, aluminum, copper, or any pans that are peeling at the bottom. Instead, use ceramic-coated, stainless steel, or cast iron pans.
  
  
• Filter tap water to reduce exposure to EDCs like BPA and other chemicals.

► Increase Detoxification

1. Eat detoxifying foods every day. I recommend:
   

• Phytonutrient-rich foods: 
• Leafy greens: 2-3 servings (one serving is about 1 cup of raw greens or 1/2 cup of cooked greens).
• Berries: 1-2 servings (one serving is about 1/2 cup).
• Cruciferous vegetables: 1-2 servings (one serving is about 1 cup of raw vegetables or 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables).

• Herbs: A handful of fresh herbs daily, or 1-2 teaspoons if using dried herbs.
  
  
• Probiotic-rich foods: 1-2 servings of foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, or kefir.

• Consider supplements that support your body’s natural detox processes: Vitamin C, glutathione, and N-acetylcysteine.

2. Get at least 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Quality sleep is crucial for supporting your body's natural detox processes, including the removal of toxins from the brain and the repair of tissues and cells.

3. Dust and vacuum (with a HEPA filter) at least twice per week. This reduces exposure to indoor pollutants and allergens.
   
   
4. Drink lots of water to support kidney function and promote sweating. Aim for at least:

• 15 cups of fluids/day for men.
• 11.5 cups of fluids a day for women.
  

5. Sweat regularly to aid in detoxification. That’s right, remove toxins by literally sweating them out.
   

• Engage in any exercise that gets you sweating, from jogging and cycling, to high-intensity resistance training, to a brisk walk in humid weather.
  
  
• If you have the means, incorporate sauna sessions 3-4 times per week for about 20-30 minutes per session. Infrared saunas are particularly effective as they penetrate deeper into the skin, promoting more thorough detoxification through sweat.

• Take Epsom salt baths 2-3 times per week. For each bath, use about 2 cups of Epsom salt in a standard-sized bathtub filled with warm water. Soak for approximately 20-30 minutes to allow the magnesium sulfate to be absorbed through the skin.

• Try dry brushing: Before showering, use a natural bristle brush to stimulate lymphatic drainage and exfoliate the skin, promoting toxin release.

These are just some of the regular lifestyle practices and behaviors you can incorporate to fight back against environmental toxins. The key is to adopt a multi-pronged approach that focuses on reducing exposure, supporting your body’s natural detoxification processes, and promoting overall health and wellness to mitigate the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals. 

And if you want a deeper dive into detoxing, check out my book, 10-Day Detox Diet. 

References

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