Fifty chemicals the public is exposed to on a daily basis may trigger cancer when combined. A global taskforce of 174 scientists from leading research centers across 28 countries studied the link between mixtures of commonly encountered chemicals and the development of cancer. The study selected 85 chemicals not considered carcinogenic to humans and found 50 supported key cancer-related mechanisms at exposures found in the environment today.
Longstanding concerns about the combined and additive effects of everyday chemicals prompted research into what is known about mixtures against the full spectrum of cancer biology for the first time.
Lead cancer researcher commented regarding genes and molecular changes during cancer development. He said: “This research backs up the idea that chemicals not considered harmful by themselves are combining and accumulating in our bodies to trigger cancer and might lie behind the global cancer epidemic we are witnessing. We urgently need to focus more resources to research the effect of low dose exposure to mixtures of chemicals in the food we eat, air we breathe and water we drink.”
Another lead researcher who contributed in the area of cancer epigenetics and the environment, said: “A review on this scale, looking at environmental chemicals from the perspective of all the major hallmarks of cancer, is unprecedented.”
Last in the research team who contributed to an examination of how such typical environmental exposures influence dysfunctional metabolism in cancer endorsed this view.
He said: “Despite a rising incidence of many cancers, far too little research has been invested into examining the pivotal role of environmental causative agents. This worldwide team of researchers refocuses our attention on this under-researched area.”
In light of the compelling evidence the taskforce is calling for an increased emphasis on and support for research into low dose exposures to mixtures of environmental chemicals. Current research estimates chemicals could be responsible for as many as one in five cancers. With the human population routinely exposed to thousands of chemicals, the effects need to be better understood to reduce the incidence of cancer globally.
-Carcinogenesis
Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec’s comments on “When nontoxic chemicals are mixed together they trigger cancer”:
This is how chemistry works: if you mix nontoxic substance A with nontoxic substance B with nontoxic substance C you get toxic substance ABC.
This study showed that at least 20% of all cancers come from toxic chemicals in the air we breathe, water we drink and food we eat. These toxic chemicals have many times passed below the radar screen because they are not classified as toxic themselves BUT and that is a big BUT when you mix them together they are now classified as toxic. So now testing has to start over to test the never ending combinations of nontoxic chemicals that become toxic when combined.
What is the answer? Live simple, eat simple, drink simple, and make sure everything that goes in your mouth you know the ingredients and they are simple and you can pronounce them. If it sounds like a chemical on the label then it is. If you cannot pronounce the word then do not eat or drink it.
Some steps to get started:
- Only drink purified water- distilled or reverse osmosis
- Eat organic food whenever possible
- Check labels for ingredients and keep it simple
- Use natural cleaning solutions only in your home. Things like vinegar and water and all natural cleaning solutions that have simple ingredients.
- Open the windows in your home for at least 30 minutes per day year round to ventilate any chemicals that outgass from building materials.
- Purchase a quality air purifier
- Make sure you live a Seven Basic Steps to Total Health Lifestyle. The Seven BASICS.
