The truth is that, today, more than 70,000 synthetic chemicals are used commercially and approximately a thousand more new chemicals are introduced into our environment each year. It's hard to know exactly how many of these chemicals are actually harmful enviromental toxins that may damage our reproductive health, as well as our general health and the health of our children. This is especially true when we consider the fact that only a handful of these potential enviromental toxins have been adequately tested to determine their effect on humans and other forms of life. In fact, full basic data exists for only about sevem percent of these chemicals that may turn out to be dangerous enviromental toxins.
Environmental Toxins and Reproductive Health Problems
What is the result of the introduction of these so called life-enhancing chemicals to our environment? Most of us have heard about dioxins. However, did you know that dioxins are actually a part of a family of 219 different chemicals? Dioxin exposure is a key factor in cancers and other reproductive health problems including endometriosis and fertility issues. Women, today, face a particularly high incidence of reproductive health problems. Birth defects in newborns can often be traced to the mother's environment during pregnancy. This often leaves our children to face enormous health risks caused by environmental toxins. Not only is our reproductive health affected by enviromental toxins, often the reproductive health of our men is negatively affected as well.- The incidence of endometriosis is at almost epidemic proportions in certain areas.
- Breast and ovarian cancer rates have increased.
- Women whose work exposes them to solvents experience a higher than normal rate of spontaneous abortion or miscarriage.
- Maternal exposure to toluene (used in glues, coatings, inks, and paint) causes birth defects.
- Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be responsible for a 400 percent increase in ectopic or tubal pregnancies between 1970 and 1987.
- Adolescents many times experience a delay in the onset of puberty duce to the influence of exposure to enviromental toxins.
- Men have experienced a 50 percent reduction in sperm count during the last fifty years.
- Studies of the umbilical cords of newborns revealed the presence of approximately 100 synthetic chemicals.
- Dioxin exposure is linked to cancer and is potentially a cause of endometriosis.
- Heart palpitations, insomnia, night sweats, and hormonal imbalances are signs of exposure to enviromental toxins.
- Excessive fatigue and other unexplained flu-like symptoms can be triggered by toxic chemicals in our enviroment.
- People who are prone to headaches may find the root of their headaches is exposure to toxic chemicals.
- Unusual skin rashes, swollen glands, digestive problems, nausea, and diarrhea may be related to toxic poisoning.
- The incidence of illness with symptoms of muscle and joint pain such as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia) is up.
- Several chemicals contribute to the development of heart disease.
- Irritability, aggression, learning disabilities, and behavior disorders occur at alarming rates and may be related to chemical exposure during pregnancy, as well as after birth.
- Impaired memory and concentration, auditory and visual perception, in some cases, is linked to excessive exposure to toxic chemicals.
- Onset of allergies, asthma, food, chemical, and noise intolerance can be traced to acute or chronic exposure to poisons.
- Has your child ever complained of stinging pain in their stomach? This is often a complaint of children exposed to enviromental toxins.
- General increase of the symptoms of any existing conditions could be related to toxic exposures.
