Understanding Environmental Toxins

 

Toxins - A Prevalent Problem

With over 70,000 chemicals in use in the United States and 2,000 new compounds being introduced every year, according to government figures, we are exposed to a cocktail of chemicals sourced from the vestiges of eating, drinking, breathing and touching synthetic products.

 

Most disconcerting is that these toxins have the potential to affect human health in a most insidious way, with a slow build up of daily, long term exposure through our diet, inhalation and using personal care products. Research has proven that environmental pollutants are linked to the development of serious diseases like cancers and errors of metabolism.

 

Where do Toxin Come From?

Exposure does not necessarily come from workplace chemicals or living near an industrial facility. Pollutants are often found inside the body caused by food stuffs and daily beauty regimes.Scientists refer to the load of toxic chemicals in the body as ‘body burden’.

 

Types of Sources Examples
Environmental Sources Active/Passive Cigarette-Smoke, Automotive Emission
Occupational Sources Solvents for rubber, Synthetic Resins, Gums, Inks, Paints
Household Products Household Cleaning Products
Cosmetics & Personal-Care Products Nail Polish, fragrances, Deodorants, Hair gel, Hair spray, Hand and Body Lotions, Soaps, Shampoo
Plastic Products Children's Toys, Stationery, Food Packaging and Containers, Medical Tubing, Blood Bags
Pharmaceuticals Some Time-release Pills, such as Sleeping Pills

 

 

Health Hazards Brought by Excessive Toxins

Chronic exposure to a number of occupational and environmental pollutants is a growing concern in today's industrialized communities, their effects on human health are linked to a variety of pathologies including neuropsychological and neuropsychological dysfunction, leukopenia, dyspnea, anemia, and certain cancers, to name a few.