What are the common toxic heavy metals in our food?

Although iron is essential it is also toxic and the toxic metals include:

• Arsenic
• Lead
• Mercury
• Cadmium
• Iron
• Aluminium

Arsenic - It is the most common cause of acute heavy metal poisoning. It is released from different industries to the environment. Shellfish, cod and haddock contain arsenic. Paints, rat poison, fungicides are the other sources. The target organs are kidneys, central nervous system, digestive tract and skin.

Lead - It accounts for most of the cases of paediatric heavy metal poisoning. It reduces the intelligence of the children. The old houses still have the lead pipes. Industry produces every year 2.5 million tons of lead and most of this is used in batteries. Bones, brain, kidneys and thyroid gland are the target organs. The paints also contain lead salts to dry them quickly. Therefore children should not be allowed to lick painted doors or windows. It is a problem throughout the world. Back hair dye and black printing ink have also lead.

Mercury - Its emissions are there from nature as well as from the industry. Chloralkali plants and paper industries are significant polluters. Dental amalgam is also a source of pollution. Fishes have more mercury. Target organs are the brain and kidneys. The present problem of mercury in our environment is the incandescent light bulbs, which we use in our houses. Some politicians want to ban these bulbs because they consume much more electricity. Politics and industry, therefore, recommend energy saving compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. But, the problem is they keep silent about the mercury present in these energy saving CFL bulbs which then could become one of the serious environmental contamination to our soil and ground water. When these bulbs are used up, they form solid wastes. In Western countries we can give back fused bulbs where we bought them and it is the law which regulates this. What will happen in other countries where there are no such possibilities? People simply throw used up bulbs with their household waste or near their houses, the mercury goes to the soil and ground water. The plants take these metals and the animals along with their feed or grass and we are the last in this chain to get it from our food. We must be very careful to keep ourselves and our families free from such poisons.

Cadmium - it is used in nickel-cadmium batteries, PVC plastics and paint pigments. Cigarette (tobacco) also contains cadmium. The absorption is through respiratory system. Liver, placenta, kidneys, lungs, brain and bones are the target organs.

Iron - it is a heavy metal of concern because iron supplements may acutely poison young children, 5 to 9 years. If the children consume 30mg iron tablets per day, it may spoil their health. The health problems associated with free radicals are dangerous to children. Too much of iron supplement is not healthy for adults. It accumulates in liver, heart muscles, kidney and other organs, rusting a reddish brown oxide coating forms on iron by the action of oxygen and moisture there and producing countless number of free radicals.

Aluminium - it is not a heavy metal but it is ingested through the use of food additives, antacids, nasal sprays and antiperspirants. Other sources are drinking water automobile exhaust, tobacco smoke, aluminium foil, aluminium cookware, ceramics and fancy fire works. Target organs for aluminium are the central nervous system, kidney and digestive system. The question of Aluminium and Alzheimer’s disease is not yet answered. It is proved that aluminium could cross the blood-brain barrier without any problem.

What are the reasons for lung cancer?

Exposure to fine particles like asbestos fine fibres may cause lung cancer. For majority of the lung cancers cigarette smoke is responsible.

There are about 50 carcinogens present in tobacco smoke and cadmium, a toxic trace element is also present in tobacco which accumulates in kidneys.

Carbon particles from unfiltered exhausts from automobiles, the environmental pollutants affect the lungs.

The family history of lung cancer may also play a role in getting it and this may be due to passive smoking. Arsenic, silica and chromium in work place exposure may cause lung cancer. All metallic powders are dangerous for the lungs.

Fish and omega-3 fatty acids – what is the origin of these fatty acids?

It is a good question. The human beings could not synthesize the omega-3 fatty acids. That is why we have to take them from our food.

Salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines and anchovies are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Other fatty fish have lesser amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. The important question is whether the fish could synthesize omega-3 fatty acids or not.

The fish could not synthesize the omega-3 fatty acids like human beings. What is the origin of omega-3 fatty acid then? The orign is the food habits of fish. Their diets contain much plankton and algae and the fish gets the omega-3 fatty acids from them.

Fish is very healthy, but some precautions must be taken by us. Too much of fatty fish are not good for our health. It is because they could contain lot of poisonous heavy metals like cadmium, arsenic, mercury etc. and the fat soluble chlorinated chemicals like many pesticides, PCBs and dioxins.

But the benefits of fish intake generally outweigh the potential risks. But persons with problems with environmental poisons must be careful with fish consumption. As you know always the dose makes the poison. Twice in a week, 150 to 200 g fish is good for all.

What are dangerous, smoking cigarettes, pipes, cigars, beedies or use of chewing tobacco?

All are dangerous to our health. It depends how much and how often you smoke. With cigars, beedies or chewing tobacco you absorb more nicotine than cigarettes. Pipes are usually not smoked very often and so the absorption of nicotine is low compared to other forms. If the tobacco reaches our stomach most of the nicotine is absorbed in the intestine and this is the case with chewing tobacco.

Nicotine is one among several substances and tar which is a mixture of several active chemical compounds in tobacco smoke. There are about 3000 chemicals which are found in tobacco smoke and many are dangerous to our health. Out of these 50 are considered cancerous. Long time exposure to the substances like carbon monoxide, cyanide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons cause the damage of lungs, arteries and responsible for several other complications including cancer.

The poisonous metal cadmium is present in tobacco and it is deposited in kidneys and bad to our health. There are radioactive carcinogens also present in tobacco smoke and they are lead-210 and polonium-210.

Although the paper is bad in cigarettes beedi is worse than cigarettes. In many countries beedies are banned. Beedies are more dangerous than cigarettes because they contain more tar, nicotine and other cancer producing substances, carbon monoxide, ammonia and also contain the cancer producing nitrosamines. One third of 6,00,000 TB deaths in India go to the account of Beedi smoking. But, surprisingly, they have less tobacco than in cigarettes.

Beedies have three times more nicotine, produce three times more carbon monoxide and have 5 times more tar than cigarettes. The lack of filter and also the lack of porosity of the leaves used for wrapping may be the reason for this.

Passive smoking is more dangerous than active smoking. Do not smoke when there are non-smokers. If children are present then smoking should be avoided completely. This is applicable strictly to your visitors also.