Synthetic Chemicals

Modern manufacturing and agricultural practices certainly improve our lives and provide us with increased economic benefit. But at what cost to our health? Recent studies by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) suggest that the price we pay is very high. On January 30, 2003, the EWG published "Body Burden-the Pollution in People," the first study to thoroughly analyze the amounts of synthetic chemicals in the human body.

In "Body Burden - the Pollution in People," the EWG found a disturbing average of 91 different chemical agents in the people they tested. Worse, they believe that our body burdens are on the rise. Where have all of these chemicals come from? They are absorbed from many different sources--the air we breathe, and the food and water we ingest. They lurk in dusts and residues from incineration of wastes, as well as in byproducts from agriculture and manufacture of thousands of different products. They are common ingredients in everyday household supplies as well as food and drinking water additives.

Synthetic chemicals abound in our modern environment-how can we avoid them? The simple answer is that we cannot, but we can actively participate in maintaining our own good health. We can select the foods we eat and question how they are grown and prepared, because pesticides are used in production of most commercial foods. We should consider the source of our drinking water, since many public water supplies contain hundreds of different chemicals, some of which are implicated in cancer and birth defects. We should minimize the use of chemical cleaning products and solvents and avoid excessively packaged foods and personal products. Such practices may reduce the convenience of our lives slightly, but they could pay huge dividends in the long run, not only for us personally, but for everyone. Remember the power of the public-if manufacturers' profits are threatened, they will be forced to change their harmful practices. Together, we can make this happen.

For consumers looking to live healthier and nutritionally enriched lives, Mannatech Inc. offer hope. Based in Coppell, Texas, Mannatech sells more than 24 proprietary and scientifically validated glyconutritional supplements and products for adults and children that address health and wellness issues, weight management and skin care.