Toxic Living

By Michael J. Sclafani RN MS M.Ed

If not for ourselves, then for the future health of our children. This book provides a bold overview of how the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat are damaging our health in a very gradual and persistent manner. Environmental toxins are all pervasive in our surroundings and are most likely related to the escalation of chronic diseases. A listing of actual environmental toxins is focused upon as well as how these toxins gradually alter over time our physiology, resulting in a serious threat to human health. Documentation of toxic contamination is provided, utilizing information published by federal agencies as well as scientific research, investigative reports, newspaper articles, and recent EPA and toxic tort litigation efforts. The book is self-help in nature and focuses on actions individuals can take to protect their children as well as themselves from the devastating effects of our toxic environment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781645443711

Book preview

Chapter 1

A Toxic Environment

In today’s modern environment, our bodies are exposed to a multitude of chemical toxins through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact/injection. Increasingly, over the past decades, our air, soil, water, food, personal care products, and even medications such as vaccines have been infiltrated with various varieties and quantities of body-disrupting chemicals.

The effects of this exposure can take many years to detect due to their insidious effect on the endocrine, neurological, reproductive, and immune body systems. A variety of these effects become permanent and irreversible. Some of these chemicals such as PCBs, Dioxins, and DDT for example, have been detected in human breast milk and adipose tissue. Based on current breast milk concentrations nationwide, it is estimated that at least 5% of babies born in the United States are exposed to quantities of PCBs sufficient to cause neurological effects (Colborn et al. 1993).

A concern is that the consequences of this toxic burden to contaminated breast milk may not be apparent until adolescence or middle age. Toxins from these chemicals become noxious when they exceed certain threshold concentrations. This is true, but they are constantly consumed and remain in the body for varying lengths of time which elevates their toxic risk.

A toxin is considered a hazardous chemical or substance which has been found to be detrimental or poisonous to living organisms and is capable of causing physical discomfort, disease, and even death. [Merriam-Webster, 2017]

In the eighties, toxic chemical spills were becoming so prevalent in the United States that on December 11, 1980, Congress mandated The Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as the Superfund. The Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) was created to identify harmful and toxic substances in the environment. ATSDR is a public health agency that advises the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the health aspects of hazardous waste sites or spills.

ATSDR publishes a variety of lists of hazardous substances. One such list is found on Table 1 "Chemical Classifications: Chemicals According to Their Structure, Properties, or Use. The chemical classes identified in this listing are ones used by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to address hazardous substances.

One such grouping is known as phthalates. This group of chemicals is used to make plastics. They are used in vinyl flooring, adhesives, detergents, lubricating oils, plastic clothes, and personal-care products such as soaps, shampoos, hair sprays, and nail polishes. Some types of phthalates have affected the reproductive system of laboratory animals. This group of toxins are listed as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.

According to a recent newspaper article by D’Souza "Eating Out May Raise Your Risk of Cancer" published in The Sun News, April 8, 2018, Phthalates can leach into food from processed materials such as food packaging, takeout boxes, and gloves. A number of studies have linked several specific phthalates to breast cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and fertility issues.

TABLE 1. Chemical classifications: Chemicals according to their structure, properties, or use

The chemical classes identified below are ones used by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to address hazardous substances. Chemical classes are groupings that