What Environmental Factors Can Impact My Health?

The modern world surrounds us with potentially toxic substances in the air, food and water, and even our clothes. These environmental factors can cause chronic illness and even speed up aging. Naturopathic doctors practice environmental medicine to understand and treat the impact of environmental factors on our health.

What are the environmental factors that affect human health?

Environmental factors that affect human health include air and water quality, exposure to chemicals, and access to nutritious food. These elements can lead to chronic illnesses and accelerate aging. Understanding these factors is crucial for maintaining optimal health.

What is Environmental Medicine?

Dr. Doug Cutler’s extensive training in environmental medicine gives him insight into the impact of toxins on our health. Environmental factors play a strong role in our overall health, how well our bodies work, and even how we age. Some environmental toxins can even change how our genes are expressed, altering how the cells read their own DNA.

Conventional medicine often ignores the burden of toxins that all modern humans carry. Detoxification helps clear these toxins from the body. A naturopathic physician takes a holistic approach to environmental factors. Holistic medicine focuses on the interconnected mind, body, and spirit, restoring balance to bring about healing and wellness.

What Environmental Factors Can Impact My Health?

Your body contains many thousands of artificial or potentially hazardous substances. These are only some examples of environmental factors that may put your health at risk:

• Lead, mercury, cadmium, and other heavy metals
• Pesticides and herbicides
• Industrial waste products
• Sulfur and nitrogen compounds
• Small particulate matter
• Cleaning products
• Shampoo and other personal care products
• Chemicals from plastic containers

You can switch to safer versions of many products to avoid some toxins. However, some types of pollution are difficult to avoid. Other toxins can hide in plain sights, like medications from a conventional physician with harmful side effects. Dr. Cutler uses herbal medicine as a treatment method, among many other natural medicines, to avoid the toxic effects of some conventional medications.

Environmental Factors and Your Health

You may wonder what harm your burden of toxins could do to your body. Scientific research has demonstrated that environmental factors can dramatically affect your health and well-being.

Autoimmunity

Several environmental factors have been linked to autoimmune diseases. These conditions, including multiple sclerosis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis, can cause chronic health problems. Environmental factors may intersect with genetic predispositions to trigger the illness.

Inflammation

Environmental factors can also cause chronic inflammation. In this condition, the body keeps producing inflammatory signals to fight off factors from the environment. This inflammation can damage the body over time.

Aging

Our skin, our first line of defense against environmental factors, also experiences constant exposure to air pollution. This can increase signs of aging, along with ultraviolet light exposure and smoking.

Organ Damage

Research has also indicated that environmental toxins can damage organs like the kidneys. Heavy metals, pesticides, and avoidable factors like smoking can cause people to develop chronic kidney disease (CKD).

How do environmental factors influence health?

Environmental factors influence health by triggering inflammation, worsening autoimmunity, and accelerating organ damage. Studies link chemical exposures to conditions like arthritis, kidney disease, and early aging. Understanding this connection supports preventive care.