Total Body Burden
Your Health & Everyday Toxins
Total body burden is a term that examines the load of toxins and toxicants in our body. Sources of these chemicals such as heavy metals, plastics, mold toxins, pesticides, solvents and many more are found in our air, water, food and everyday personal and homecare products.
The CDC (Centre for Disease Control) reported the average person in the United States has at least 212 chemicals in their blood and urine. Everyday products like plastic containers, makeup and children’s toys can contain any combination of chemicals. Very few of these chemicals have been safety tested and almost all were given approval for use in consumer products with no consideration for potential health effects.
Imagine your body as a barrel and these chemicals as substances that go into the barrel. Over time everyday exposures can add up causing the barrel to overflow. When this happens symptoms ranging from brain fog, pain, fatigue, skin conditions, asthma, allergies and other symptoms can occur. They initially may seem like minor health concerns but left unaddressed over time can become more serious conditions.
Most commonly people think about cancer when it comes to chemical exposures – and although this is very accurate and well known, very few people and doctors fully understand that these chemicals have been linked to many more conditions. Of these conditions, the most common are autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular disease, neuropathies, hormone imbalances (hormone disruptors), infertility, and weakened immune system.
There are various factors that determine the rate by which toxins and toxicants accumulate in the body. For instance genetics, occupation, lifestyle, work and home environments are often missed or not asked about in a medical assessment. Genetic variation (SNP research) has shown that one person compared to another may have anywhere between a 2x to10x faster or slower clearance of these toxicants.
At Enviromed clinic our goal is to assess whether in the past or currently your total body burden is the main cause or an aggravator of your symptoms. This is done by a full investigation of your current and past exposures through a detailed assessment, along with any blood or urine tests that may be necessary.