The fact that many chemicals are toxic and potentially damaging to our health is not a foreign concept. But a recent study by Ivy Shiue, a senior research associate at Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK, has revealed that chemical exposure could be even more detrimental to our health than initially thought, with links to increased blood pressure, immune function issues, and brain development repercussions for children and older adults. In addition the chemical compounds found in many detergents, bisphenol-a and triclosan, “have (been found to affect immune function and the age at which menstruation starts”.
The research program from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) ran studies monitoring the health status of children and adults employing both interviews and physical examinations using urine and blood samples. The data collected from NHANES indicated “an association between high blood pressure in adults and higher concentrations of heavy metals, arsenic and phthalates in urine”.
Shiue found a correlation of exposure to chemicals….Shiue also highlighted that “[Chemicals] with higher levels of pyrethroid insecticides and polyfluoroalkyl are linked to learning problems and impaired attention in children…[and] could also influence brain development, particularly in children and older adults”.
With our global chemical use at an all time high these findings are all compelling reasons to reduce our daily consumption of harmful chemicals.
Read more: https://theconversation.com/what-does-exposure-to-environmental-chemicals-mean-for-our-health-41876