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Over the weekend my wife and I helped my parents strip walpaper in their living room and dining room. Thankfully, the larger living room was done quickly and easily with sponges and putty knives in about an hour and 20 minutes. Dreadfully, the smaller dining room was a nightmare and we had to resort to a walpaper stripping aid and a lot of elbow grease. The stripper worked good, but I had to wonder what we were breathing in and getting on our skin.
Toxic Accumulation is a buildup over time in a system of a chemical that can alter normal metabolic processes and function.
You may have seen the movie Erin Brokovich and recall the premise that the clients of the law firm were all victims of toxic accumulation, long term exposure to chemicals in the water and environment caused illness and cancer.
Do you ever wonder what we are exposed to on a daily basis? After all, when it comes to chemicals we use every day to make tasks easier we assume that most manufacturers are acting responsibly and in our best interest. Is cracking a window for ventilation enough?
Toxic accumulation can cause:
- Decreased Immune System Function
- Autoimmune Disease
- Enzyme Dysfunction
- Hormonal imbalances
- Psychological Disturbances
- Changes in Metabolism
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Possibly Cancer
In the time since World War II millions of pounds of chemicals have been released into the environment. Today, nearly 60,000 chemicals are in use today. Chemicals that we may not exactly know how they will affect us long term, and they are all around us and we touch them every day. Where are they you ask?
In Your Drinking Water
It is not uncommon to have up to 20 different chemicals added to our drinking water. The most common chemicals added are chlorine, fluoride, and aluminum. Some communities have water pipes that leach lead and cadmium into the water supply. All of these chemicals can be damaging to us. Please at the minimum buy a Brita water filter or do yourself a favor and install a reverse osmosis system for a pure water source.
In Your Food
Advances in food storage and shelf life come with more chemicals being added to processed foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables have been sprayed with insecticides, fertilizers, and possibly color enhancers. Preservatives, sugars, solvents, and artificial colors and flavors are added to extend shelf life, improve taste and texture. Occasionally breakdowns in the food processing system allow bacteria and fungi to infect our food supply making people ill. It would be a good practice in my opinion to explore buying organic produce and foods to minimize exposure to pesticides and processing chemicals.
In Your Air
We can’t live without it. The air all around us is compromised with contaminants, even if we are indoors. Think of carpet, hairspray, paint, and glue odors and fumes. Think about walking into a new house, or sitting in a new car, you know that “new” smell – that is pollution. Outdoor contaminants like air pollution, factory emissions, garbage, and even animal waste can foul the air and cause infections in the lungs or over long terms spawn allergies, asthma, or emphysema. HEPA air filtration indoors can improve air quality and reduce allergy response and the common cold.
What do you do to minimize your exposure to toxic chemicals?
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