Every living organism is dependent on the organisms beneath them in the food chain in order to sustain and maintain their species. Man is at the top of the food chain, which makes us dependent on all the other species that we share a planet with. For example, we do not eat bees, but we eat honey which they produce, but even more importantly we are dependent on them for pollination of much of what grows on the planet. According to an article in the Renewable Resources Journal, 30 percent of the world’s crops and 90 percent of wild vegetation depend on cross-pollination. So what happens to man if bees are one of the species threatened with extinction? We have already lost a large percentage of the bee population, and a USDA and University of Maryland study has concluded it is due to pesticides.

Equally alarming is the finding that the average sperm count of today’s young men is only 50 percent of what it was in the young men of just 50 years ago.

 

How is this happening? What is causing these changes? Let’s begin by looking at the smallest living common denominator to all organisms—the cell. In order for any organism to thrive, its cells have to thrive. How do cells work? The genes in the nucleus code for proteins, once transcribed, go out and do the gene’s bidding. Proteins make everything within the cell happen. Proteins either form structure like connective tissue, signaling molecules like hormones, or enzymes, which direct every chemical reaction in the cell. There are millions of these chemical reactions that require nutrients, which they convert into important molecules that go on to other enzymes for further conversion and, in so doing, do the work of making the cell "live". Without all of these chemical reactions, the cells wouldn’t live and neither would we. These chemical reactions are called "cellular metabolism" and they have an absolute dependence on getting the right kind and amount of nutrients to occur optimally. So, if cellular metabolism is optimal, and you are getting all the nutrients you need, your cells will thrive, right? Well, maybe yes, maybe no.

It depends on whether your cells are also taking something into them that blocks or disrupts their natural metabolism. This could be something that damages the genes so that abnormal enzymes are made that don’t function well or at all; or something that binds an enzyme so it can’t function, or that damages a necessary nutrient, or depletes important minerals that work as cofactors to enzymatic reactions. There are literally thousands of these toxic chemicals and thousands of ways they disrupt metabolism.

 

What are some toxins aka metabolic disruptors? This is the part we need to educate ourselves about so we can make informed personal decisions that will protect us, our families and children. This is especially true in our children because metabolic disruption during critical developmental periods can be especially damaging. It is impossible to address every toxic substance in this short article, but some toxic metabolic disruptors are: nitrogen oxides; sulfur dioxide; carbon monoxide (CO); particulates; volatile organic compounds (VOCs); heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, etc.); second hand smoke; radon; mold; negative ion depletion; off-gassing of formaldehyde-containing furniture and carpets; solvents; cleaning solutions; pesticides; herbicides; pharmaceutical drugs (hormones, antibiotics, antidepressants, statins, NSAIDs, etc.); industrial solvents; nitrates; dioxin; PCBs; DDE; trans-Nonachlor; hexachlorobenzene; hexachlorocyclohexanes; other persistent organic pollutants (POPs); perchlorate; bacteria; Bisphenol A (BPA); phthalates, etc.

Almost 1,000,000 people (doesn’t include other animals or ecosystems) die annually worldwide from air pollution alone. Air pollution is associated with increases in:

Neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and others).

Cardiovascular disease and related events (myocardial infarction, stroke, death).

Inflammation and insulin resistance (precursors of type 2 diabetes).

Hospital admissions for heart failure.

Pollutant facts:

For every one standard deviation increase of BPA concentration in the urine, there is a 39 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

POPs are stored in fat. The higher up the food chain (we are at the top), the greater the concentration stored in fat. People with the highest exposure to POPs have a 3800 percent increased occurrence of T2D compared to those with the lowest exposure.

People with the highest amounts of arsenic in their urine have a 358 percent increased occurrence of T2D compared to those with the lowest amount.

Mercury and lead both cause Atherosclerosis, High Blood Pressure, Coronary Heart Disease, Carotid Artery Disease, and Peripheral Vascular Disease, among other conditions, including neurodegeneration.

Metabolic disruptors are well known causes of fatigue. If your metabolism isn’t working, you won’t produce enough energy.

These are just a few of the toxins we and every other ecosystem are exposed to. There are thousands of these metabolic disruptors to which we are exposed every day. Fortunately, our bodies are designed to detoxify most, primarily through the liver. Removal can be enhanced through chelation and detoxification procedures. When undergoing either procedure, it is extremely important to replenish both specific types and amounts of nutrients. For example, detoxifying through fasting causes fat loss and thus release of fat soluble toxins, but quickly uses up vital nutrients used in the detoxification process. Because you are not eating, these nutrients are not replenished, and now there are higher toxin loads circulating to the liver and lower nutrient levels to combat them. This can cause even more damage.

 

To learn more about detoxification and chelation and how to limit your toxic exposure, visit VitalWell-BeingCenter.com and schedule an appointment at Vital Well-Being. Vital Well-Being Center is located at 210 South Pinellas Avenue, Suite 106, Tarpon Springs, 727-786-1661. See ad page 34.