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Though some substances considered toxic to humans occur in nature, our world is gradually becoming saturated by toxic substances created by man. The conveniences of modern life have come with a price. The evolution of an industrial society has brought with it the introduction of an unprecedented amount of man-made chemicals into the environment, all having at least some potential for toxicity. Most sources suggest the list of man-made chemicals now tops 200,000, the majority of which were non-existent one hundred years ago.

Off the coast of Nova Scotia lies Sable Island, an isolated sand spit created by eddies between the Labrador Current and the Gulf Stream. At this remote outpost, a weather station monitors climatic changes and airborne toxins. Recently, Cruising World magazine featured a sailing trip to Sable Island. These quotes from the article poignantly illustrate the degree of concern we face as a culture:

“…on an island that seems so remote and pristine  were instruments measuring ever-increasing levels of industrial aerosols, chemical insecticides and herbicides, methane, carbon dioxide, and other human-generated carcinogens, pollutants, and greenhouse gases.”

“Because of its location at the edge of the continent, Sable is in a unique location for making such measurements,” stated the keeper of the station. “When the winds are easterly, we measure only traces of these substances. But when they blow from the west, well, then many of the measurements go off the scale, and Sable might as well be at the end of a huge, continental sewer pipe.”  

Initially, as man-made chemicals made their way into the air, the water, and across the surface of the land, it seemed the environment was like a huge sponge that could absorb it all, but eventually the level of toxins started to add up. We first saw it with fish kills along the coast and declining bird populations, but there is little doubt that toxins in the environment also contribute to human disease.

In some respects we have become more “toxin aware” over the past fifty years, as open industrial waste-sites are less prevalent and many cities are making vigorous efforts to clean up their act, yet environmental toxins have become more pervasive than ever before. Our thirst for energy is high, and present regulations are not sufficient to protect the environment from pollutants released when millions of tons of coal are burned each year to produce electricity. Automobiles are designed to pollute less, but more people own cars and commute long distances. Chemical use in agriculture is still quite prevalent. Everything is made of plastic. Not only is the manufacture of plastics toxic, but plastics also leach toxins into the environment continually for a lifetime. Toxins of many varieties can be found in our food, in the water we drink and in the air we breathe…where we work, where we play, and in our homes.  

Toxins have made their way into our environment insidiously. Rarely are concentrations of specific toxins high enough to be implicated in a specific disease process, yet common sense and a steadily rising cancer rate would suggest a cause for concern. We have come to accept toxins as being part of our everyday world, but our complacency means that the ever-increasing concentration of toxins in the environment is a real contributor to disease and adds up in ways that you would not expect.

When humans living in industrial areas of the world are randomly tested for toxins, the findings are alarming. A stew of chemicals including styrene (found in Styrofoam, plastic containers and computers), trichloroethylene (dry cleaning), dioxins (bleaching agents), PFC’s (nonstick cookware), phthalates (plastic, vinyl, nail polish), PCB’s, pesticides, xylene (plastics) and many others are routinely discovered. When laboratory animals are subjected to these chemicals individually, cancers and terrible diseases result—imagine the effect if they are all mixed together.  (www.pollutioninpeople.org)

It is now common knowledge that larger fish such as swordfish are contaminated with mercury, but have you ever considered why? Certainly the ocean is not saturated with mercury, but it has to come from somewhere. Surprisingly, for fish in the Atlantic Ocean, the source is coal-fired power plants on the North American continent. Coal is high in mercury. Mercury and many other pollutants carried in the smoke precipitate onto the land and are washed into estuaries by rain or precipitate directly onto the surface of the ocean. Micro-organisms take up the pollutants, and in turn, are eaten by larger animals. With each step up the food chain mercury is further concentrated in the animal’s tissues. The cycle continues until the highest concentrations are found in the largest animals in the ocean. This food chain phenomenon is not limited to fish. Many airborne pollutants end up in our water and food supply via this mechanism. Toxins accumulate in fatty tissues of all animals, including and especially humans. 

Toxic heavy metals including aluminum, antimony, beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, lead, mercury, thallium, uranium are much more prevalent in the environment today than ever before. Mining brings these elements to the surface from deep in the earth. Living organisms, having never been exposed to these elements to any significant degree, are at significant risk. Illnesses in children associated with exposure to lead and birth defects in newborns associated high levels of mercury in humans are cause for grave concern. Warning about consumption of certain fish is now a standard part of pre-conceptual counseling. 

We deal with a similar phenomenon in agriculture. Chemicals used in agriculture are certainly toxic to pests and their use in production of grains, vegetables, and fruit should be of concern, but because concentrations of pesticide residue are not high, regulatory agencies such as the FDA suggest that traces of man-made chemicals found in our produce are not enough to worry about….but should we worry?

Most of the chemicals used in agriculture are fat soluble, and plants generally have very little fat. It is true that toxic chemicals mostly end up as a residue on the surface of the vegetable or present in small amounts within the oil-containing germ of grains. The actual measurable concentration of chemicals is low. Even so, environmental toxins found in our food are very real contributors to disease. The key to the concern lies in the fact that most toxic chemicals are fat soluble, and, even when consumed in minute amounts, these substances accumulate and concentrate within the fatty tissues of any living organism that consumes them.  The more fatty tissue, the higher the level of concern.

Livestock and poultry fed a continuous diet of toxin-tainted grain, concentrate these subtle amounts of chemicals into their fatty tissues. Mostly confined to tight quarters with little ability to move around, these animals have a higher tendency to retain toxins. Hormones, which are also fat soluble, are widely used in this industry. The result is meat that is excessively fatty and may contain concerning levels of toxic chemicals. Often these chemicals are hormonally active. Humans, being right up there at the top of the food chain, in essence get a double dose of toxins when they consume meat from animals raised in this fashion. 

Ever wonder about the association between breast cancer and consumption of red meat? Think about it: any toxins or hormonally active substances found in the fat of that nice juicy hamburger or steak are further concentrated in the fatty tissues of the individual consuming it. Hormonally sensitive breast tissue is predominantly fat and that’s where toxins may end up. 

Most of the time the role toxins play in chronic disease is only a piece of the puzzle, but occasionally it can be a major factor. Not infrequently, I have been able to provide direction and hope to individuals with chronic disease just by asking questions that others had not asked. I can remember one patient who owned a cleaning business and was exposed to potent chlorinated chemicals on a daily basis. Chronic fatigue and chronic sinus infections had developed insidiously over several years. She had been through the gamut of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications, and antihistamines with a progressively worsening condition. While seeing her for a routine exam, I suggested that avoiding chemical exposure was the only way she would ever get well. A complete lifestyle change is a tough recommendation, but after several years of no improvement, she finally sold the business. Once free of the toxins, her symptoms gradually resolved completely.

There have been numerous patients since then: the farmer with chronic sinus abscesses who was regularly exposed to chemical pesticides; a manicurist who spent her days inhaling nail polish and could not get rid of vaginal yeast infections; and numerous patients with headaches and other odd complaints who work in retail businesses where the air is always saturated with the smell of plastic. None of them had had improvement with conventional medical therapy. Resolution of these problems could only be expected with removal of the inciting factors. We would all do well to be more “toxin aware,” as sometimes even the most obvious sources of toxins do not seem so obvious.

Exposure to toxins is sometimes self-inflicted. Smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco are at top on the list. Alcohol is definitely a toxin (admittedly, in moderate amounts this toxic effect seems to be balanced by other, beneficial ingredients in wine and beer.) It goes without saying that illicit street drugs are harmful. Though pharmaceuticals are delivered in non-toxic and often beneficial doses, most have the potential for toxicity. Many, if not most drugs poison enzymes in the body to achieve a desired result. All drugs have the potential for side effects. Many drugs have the potential for tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal syndromes. Ironically, many drugs used therapeutically for treatment of chronic disease are known to suppress the immune system, certainly not in keeping with an intended goal of therapy meant to improve health.

Often the only difference between a beneficial drug and a toxin is the dose. Therapeutic medications have great value, but their potential for toxicity must be respected.

Because toxins come from so many diverse sources, they exert their negative effects in different ways. All biochemical reactions within the body can be, in effect, “poisoned” by different toxins. Toxins can directly damage DNA. Some toxins generate free radicals or are free radicals themselves, increasing our burden of oxidative stress. This is a major factor in diseases such as atherosclerosis and arthritis. Many toxins derived from pesticides and plastics have the potential to mimic hormones in the human body, providing a direct link to hormonally active cancers such as breast, uterine and prostate.

It is estimated that at least half of man-made toxins have the ability to affect hormone systems in the human body in some way. 

Occasionally, as in the case of therapeutic drugs, these effects are desirable, but most often they are unwanted or harmful. Toxins tax the healing systems of the body and cause damage to the immune system allowing increased susceptibility to disease. The effects are subtle, but cumulative over time; measuring the exact contribution toxins make to disease is virtually impossible.

Fortunately for us, the body does have the ability to eliminate toxins via a very sophisticated detoxification system. As we have come to know, most toxins are fat soluble. To be eliminated by the kidneys and intestinal tract they must be converted into water soluble substances. This process occurs almost exclusively in the liver. Eliminating toxins is dirty business. The detoxification process produces free radicals that over time cause damage to the cells of the liver. As we age, this affects not only our ability to remove toxins, but other functions of the liver as well. 

Be kind to your liver. Become more “toxin aware” by minimizing everyday sources of toxins. Not smoking cigarettes and acquiring adequate protection from occupational exposure to toxins goes without saying. Regular consumption of antioxidants provided by a diet high in fresh vegetables and fruit helps protect liver function (see our Berry Green supplement). Vegetables from the cruciferous family such as cabbage and broccoli are especially protective of liver function (see our Cruciferous Vegetable Supplement). Dietary fiber provided by vegetables, fruit and whole grains is essential for adequate toxin removal (see our Fiber Supplement). Drinking plenty of water helps flush things through. Exercise facilitates removal of toxins via increased blood flow and sweat is a route of elimination for some toxins (see our Milk Thistle supplement for liver protection).

Testing for a number of different types of toxins via hair samples or blood tests is available and can be considered by individuals with chronic disease or who have higher than average exposure. Testing for heavy metals is also available, but the testing is more complex. Individuals retain toxins differently depending upon the person’s genetics, liver function and amount of body fat.

The above excerpt was taken from the "A New Style of Healthcare" chapter in my book, Health First!. This book was created as a resource for my patients and First Do No Harm Health readers who are eager to learn more about simple lifestyle changes that can improve their quality of life and dramatically reduce their risk of disease. It is my hope that you will consider this book as a resource for better understanding your health and take control of your own health today!

Categories: Disease Prevention,

Previous Comments

Shelley Keitzman- Dec 08, 2009

Wow, what a fantastic article. It is especially interesting to hear you link on breast cancer + toxins + meat consumption. I knew to avoid fatty processed meats, but now have a scientific understanding of "why" thats not a great idea.

JP- Dec 10, 2009

Thanks for this stellar piece, Bill! I try to find grass fed dairy and meat whenever possible. Cruciferous veggies are on the top of my list too. In fact, I just wrote a column about DIM and it's ability to assists healthful detoxification and hormone metabolism. It's certainly (and sadly) a toxic world. That's why we need to inform and protect ourselves! Be well! JP

Bill Rawls, M.D.- Dec 14, 2009

Thanks Shelley! Yes its a breast cancer link that is so often overlooked. Together we can help to spread the word. Thanks for your support!

Bill Rawls, M.D.- Dec 14, 2009

Thanks for your reply, JP. I enjoyed your article also! I think it is important for people to recognize that all diseases do have defined causes and these causes can be reduced. A proactive approach is always the best approach to staying healthy!