The air we breathe, the water we drink, and even the foods we eat, contain substances that may be damaging to our cells, according to Public Health scientists who have found new evidence of the threats that our toxic environment pose on our cellular health. Apparently, any tissue that is exposed to the environment, including the skin and gastrointestinal passages, is especially vulnerable.
While government agencies and industry are taking steps to control additional releases into the environment, many toxic substances become concentrated in fatty tissues through a process called bioaccumulation. Animal fats in the diet present health problems in other ways. Dr. Myron Wentz, Ph.D., immunologist and microbiologist, hypothesizes that foods with high peroxide values, especially processed, fatty foods, generate “free radicals” that in turn damage healthy cells. Researchers believe that supplementary antioxidants are necessary for combating these free radicals in addition to the body’s normal defense systems.
In addition to the health threats posed by toxic substances today, many nutritional scientists point out that much of our food has been over processed and preservatives have been added for packaging, affecting its vitamin and mineral content. In fact many of us are undernourished because our diet lacks many of the important vitamins and minerals necessary for health.
One recent study found that nearly one-third of the calories in the typical American diet come from nutrient-deficient junk food. In contrast, healthy foods, such as vegetables and fruits, make up only about ten percent of the caloric intake. Furthermore, poor diet, coupled with physical inactivity, is now recognized by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the leading causes of death in the U. S. today because without proper nutrition, the cells of the body are less able to prevent and repair cellular damage.
“The human body is made of cells, and those cells work together to sustain your life,” says Dr. Wentz. “Taking antioxidants with food may help reduce the formation of oxidized lipids.” Other medical professionals concur on the importance of taking supplementation.
* “One way to effectively maintain health is to supplement our diets with a full range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants,” so explains Dr. Ladd McNamara, an obstetrician/gynecologist in Atlanta, Georgia.
* Dr. Ray Strand, M.D., a family practitioner in South Dakota, states, “The concerns for my patients’ health has led me to recommend a complete nutritional system to my patients.”
Remember: When you are maximizing your body’s health potential, we everyone wins. When you don’t, we all lose.
By Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW
