ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS TESTING
Our bodies are exposed to chemicals on a daily basis through food, air, water, and the environment.
Phthalates are found in numerous plastics and parabens make their way into the body on a daily basis via personal care products, such as make-up, lotions and creams, shampoo and conditioners, soap etc. Phthalates and parabens are known endocrine disruptors in the body and can contribute to health conditions in which hormones have been implicated, such as fibroids, endometriosis, and breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer.
BPA & Triclosan are also endocrine disruptors. BPA is found mostly in plastics labeled with the recycling codes 3 or 7 and are widely used as epoxy resins as a coating for canned food and beverages. Exposure to BPA can occur from ingesting food or drink stored or heated in BPA containing materials. Triclosan is an antimicrobial and preservative found in many personal care products and been shown to block thyroid activity and thyroid hormone signalling.
Chlorinated pesticides and insecticides have been banned, however, many are still in use around the world and contaminate our food supply, drinking water, and soil. The main toxic effect of chlorinated pesticides and insecticides is on the nervous system resulting in chronic neurological problems, including mood disorders, learning difficulties, and memory problems.
PCBs were once widely used as lubricants and coolants in transformers, capacitors, and electronic equipment but since being banned, have persisted in the environment and continue to leach into the soil and groundwater from waste sites and landfills. PCB accumulation in humans have been associated with impairments in the brain, nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system, and in children have been implicated with impaired neurological development, such as delayed motor skills, decreased short-term memory, lower scores on intelligence and behaviour tests.
Volatile solvents are routinely used in industrial processes to manufacture consumer products. We are exposed by air and water pollution and by inhalation of car exhaust, paints, glues, adhesives, and lacquer thinners. Solvents are very damaging to the bone marrow and have been associated with many of the bone marrow cancers as well as anemia and low platelet counts.
Organophosphates are commonly used in pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides used on food crops; grain, corn, and seeds; livestock; pet treatments; and ant/roach baits. They can be implicated in many health conditions, including poor coordination, muscle twitching, chemical sensitivity, cognitive difficulties, and neurological illnesses.