Fumes from paint, glues, de-greasers and other industrial solvents have been linked to impaired thinking and memory issues. Research just published in the journal Neurology reports that the detrimental effects of these toxins may last for decades, persisting in some
Fumes from paint, glues, de-greasers and other industrial solvents have been linked to impaired thinking and memory issues. Research just published in the journal Neurology reports that the detrimental effects of these toxins may last for decades, persisting in some cases well after someone has retired from a job where they were exposed to the noxious fumes.
This research study was completed at Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies.
A solvent is a substance used to dissolve another chemical or substance. For example, water dissolves salt. This is not a reaction that is dangerous or causes fumes, but other reactions — such as when using the solvent benzene or chlorinated solvents or petroleum-based solvents — are toxic and produce fumes.
People using these chemicals at work or in the home breathe in the toxic fumes and it affects their thinking and memory over time. Benzene, which is found in detergents and plastics, is also a known carcinogen, meaning that it causes cancer. Chlorinated solvents are used in the dry cleaning industry and fumes linger on the clothes after they are returned back to the owner.
Even though more recent methods of production have taken steps to reduce the fumes that people inhale, the Harvard research showed that workers who had been involved in industrial work settings for extended periods of time suffered most from cognitive impairment. The researchers speculate that these workers had been exposed to even higher levels of fumes than what is allowed today.
The conclusions of the research found that participants whose exposure to solvents was the greatest had the highest levels of thinking and memory issues. Researchers also looked at such lifestyle issues as smoking, age, education and alcohol consumption, but none of these other factors accounted for the strong association between cognitive difficulty and inhalation of solvents. The results showed that even high exposures some 30 to 50 years prior to the testing were associated with lingering cognitive impairment.
People who work with paints, solvents, chemicals or dry cleaning fluids should wear respirators and have good air flow through their work site. Homemakers who use toxic solvents for cleaning should also be aware of the dangers to their brain and ensure good ventilation or switch to less toxic products. Beauty salon workers or nail techs need to think about their level of exposure too.
Anyone who uses chemicals in their work is at risk.
We all live in a polluted and environmentally challenged world. The air, the water and the food we take in are all compromised, and we must try our best to live as cleanly as possible. There are nutritional products that will effectively assist your body to cleanse away environmental toxins and assist your liver in cleaning up your body. Of course, before the industrial age, your liver did a good job of de-toxifying your body but now, since most everything we encounter is polluted, our natural detoxification system is overwhelmed.
A study in the last decade showed that newborns in British Columbia, Canada (a clean and underpopulated area) had over 230 environmental toxins in their bodies at birth! Over 30 of those toxins were carcinogenic … Does this not scare you? It scares me. If you would like to find out about the whole body cellular cleanse that I use to keep healthy and clean cognitively and physically, you can call me and I’ll tell you what I do.
• Jane Riley, M.S., B.A., C.P.T., Certified Nutritional Adviser, can be reached at janerileyfitness@gmail.com, 212-1451 or www.janerileyfitness.com.
