In our last post, we introduced the relationship between nutrition and the environment.We reviewed the two terms bio-accumulation and bio-magnification, and how they can affect us. In this post, we will dig deeper into matters environment and nutrition by looking at various environmental toxins and how they impact the food we eat.
As a result of processes such as bio-magnification and bio-accumulation , our foods are exposed to various chemicals that we may ingest unknowingly. Common pollutants include herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers that leach into water bodies.These chemicals may contain ingredients such as Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDTs), Polychlornated Biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals e.g. cadmium, mercury, lead and arsenic that are not easily broken down in the body when consumed. The intake of these chemicals can cause health effects such as asthma, reproductive issues, lung infections and cancers.
The degree of severity after the ingestion of these substances varies from person to person .Whereas some may notice symptoms immediately , others may take a longer while. Different factors e.g. immunity level nutrition status, health status, may cause such variations.
In general, the environment can influence our health and nutrition.With the excess application of chemicals or through bio-accumulation and bio-magnification processes, chemicals and other pollutants may come into contact with the food we eat, and later cause poor health effects.We should play our part in taking care of the environment to mitigate these unwanted effects.