Living with the toxicity in our environment
By Justin and Clara Hamel
Toxins are substances that interrupt various bodily functions, damage enzymes, interfere with hormones and impair cell function, all leading to a range of health problems including fatigue, inflammation and increased disease risk. From subtle changes in cognitive function and health to profound neurological and physical disease, exposure to toxins in our environment can have profound impacts on health and well-being.
To give you a glimpse of how pervasive toxins are in our society, the European Union has banned 1,328 chemicals in cosmetics that are known or expected to cause cancer, genetic mutations, reproductive harm or birth defects, whereas the United States has banned fewer than 30. No, that’s not a typo — less than 30.
In addition, many food additives are banned in other countries but allowed in the U.S. These include Red Dye No. 40 and Yellow Dye No. 5, which both have been shown to increase hyperactivity in children. (Red Dye No. 3 was recently banned after the FDA cited evidence of it causing cancer in lab animals.) Unfortunately, products targeted at children are often the biggest user of these toxic chemicals. Your children’s red popsicle, those red pieces of candy or the red pieces in sugar coated cereal, are all likely colored using Red Dye No. 40. Prevalent in packaged mac and cheese, baked goods, icing and candies is Yellow Dye No. 5. The majority of homes have these items in their pantries.
To provide a little more perspective on why we should pay attention to what other countries deem toxic, let’s get a little history on lead use in the U.S. Lead was first banned in several European countries in 1909 after it was shown to cause death in infants and neurological disorders in children. However, the U.S. did not ban the use of lead in paint and materials until 1978. That is almost 70 years after lead was first shown to cause significant harm!
So why does the U.S. approve use of these and many other chemicals while other countries view them as unacceptable risks? The answer is multifaceted, but can in large part be attributed to our government relying on the studies performed by the companies seeking approval of the chemicals they manufacture. We have seen the effectiveness of this means of approval throughout history. The tobacco industry, drug industry and pesticide industry have all been disastrous examples of the failure of this method of research and approval.
Until consumer and environmental protection is made a precedent, our population will continue to suffer the ill effects of toxin exposure, but there are many things you can do to reduce exposure. When it comes to toxins, knowledge is power. It is the power to reduce toxic exposure, regain health and live without toxin-induced fatigue, chronic illness, brain fog, thyroid issues, decreased fertility, anxiety, depression and chronic pain. Over the next few weeks, we will cover simple but effective ways to minimize your daily exposure to these harmful substances and thus improve your health and well-being.
Dr. Justin Hamel and Clara Hamel have a combined over 30 years of experience in health fields. Reach them at 1° Performance & Longevity, located at 900 South Main St., Suite A in Jacksonville, on Facebook or by phone at 217-243-6358.
