Doctor: Reducing Plastic and Artificial Sweetener Intake Is the First Step to Lowering Environmental Toxin Exposure
Ahead of World Environment Day, Dr. Yen Tso-Hua points out that reducing the intake of plastics, canned foods, artificial colors, emulsifiers, and artificial sweeteners is a crucial first step in lowering exposure to environmental toxins. A 20-year study by Academia Sinica and the National Health Research Institutes tracking over 10,000 Taiwanese people found a link between the plasticizer DEHP and breast cancer risk in women. When DEHP exposure and MEHP% are both high, combined with menarche before age 14, the breast cancer risk can be 7.52 times higher.
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(Central News Agency, reporter Shen Pei-yao, Taipei, 3rd) June 5th is World Environment Day. Heavy metals and environmental hormone pollution are ubiquitous, from cleaning products to thermal paper. Doctors remind that reducing the intake of plastics, canned foods, artificial colors, emulsifiers, and artificial sweeteners in daily life is an important first step in reducing exposure to environmental toxins.
Environmental protection is a global consensus. A collaborative study by Academia Sinica and the National Health Research Institutes, which tracked over 10,000 Taiwanese people over 20 years, indicates that di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a common plasticizer, is associated with the risk of breast cancer in women.
The study points out that when DEHP exposure and MEHP% (monoester metabolite percentage) are both high, combined with menarche before the age of 14, the risk of breast cancer can be 7.52 times that of individuals without these three risk factors.
Dr. Yen Tso-Hua, director of the Lianxin Clinic under Lian-An Preventive Medicine Institution, recently stated in a press release that this research reminds us that environmental pollution is not just an environmental issue but a health risk that must be taken seriously.
Dr. Yen said that when it comes to environmental toxins, many people first think of plasticizers, but environmental toxins in life are actually broader than imagined. Daily necessities, diet, and even humid environments can all be sources of environmental toxins.
"These environmental toxins do not enter the body in large amounts at once but accumulate bit by bit in daily life," Dr. Yen emphasized. Long-term exposure to environmental toxins, or if the body's metabolic capacity cannot keep up, may disrupt endocrine regulation, increase the risk of chronic inflammation, and subsequently affect overall health.
Common sources of environmental toxins include daily necessities such as plastic containers, fragrances, and thermal paper. Dr. Yen said that diet also requires caution. Large fish, rice products, and inadequately washed fruits and vegetables may increase exposure to heavy metals or pesticide residues. Furthermore, Taiwan's humid climate means that grains, nuts, and coffee beans, if not stored properly, may also increase the risk of mycotoxins.
Dr. Yen suggests two methods to reduce exposure to environmental toxins. First, in daily life, minimize contact with plastic products and reduce the intake of canned foods, artificial colors, emulsifiers, and artificial sweeteners. This is an important first step in reducing environmental toxin exposure. By first reducing the body's "import load," the body has more leeway to maintain metabolism and repair.
The second step is to strengthen elimination by optimizing liver detoxification and intestinal and kidney metabolic functions. Dr. Yen explained that the body's process of handling harmful environmental substances is a biochemical process highly dependent on "energy" and "nutrients." The liver, in particular, needs precise nutritional support to process toxins. People with chronic fatigue, unstable gastrointestinal conditions, metabolic abnormalities, or concerns about chronic inflammation or hormonal imbalance should consider seeking professional evaluation. (Editor: Li Xizhang) 1150603
Environmental protection is a global consensus. A collaborative study by Academia Sinica and the National Health Research Institutes, which tracked over 10,000 Taiwanese people over 20 years, indicates that di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a common plasticizer, is associated with the risk of breast cancer in women.
The study points out that when DEHP exposure and MEHP% (monoester metabolite percentage) are both high, combined with menarche before the age of 14, the risk of breast cancer can be 7.52 times that of individuals without these three risk factors.
Dr. Yen Tso-Hua, director of the Lianxin Clinic under Lian-An Preventive Medicine Institution, recently stated in a press release that this research reminds us that environmental pollution is not just an environmental issue but a health risk that must be taken seriously.
Dr. Yen said that when it comes to environmental toxins, many people first think of plasticizers, but environmental toxins in life are actually broader than imagined. Daily necessities, diet, and even humid environments can all be sources of environmental toxins.
"These environmental toxins do not enter the body in large amounts at once but accumulate bit by bit in daily life," Dr. Yen emphasized. Long-term exposure to environmental toxins, or if the body's metabolic capacity cannot keep up, may disrupt endocrine regulation, increase the risk of chronic inflammation, and subsequently affect overall health.
Common sources of environmental toxins include daily necessities such as plastic containers, fragrances, and thermal paper. Dr. Yen said that diet also requires caution. Large fish, rice products, and inadequately washed fruits and vegetables may increase exposure to heavy metals or pesticide residues. Furthermore, Taiwan's humid climate means that grains, nuts, and coffee beans, if not stored properly, may also increase the risk of mycotoxins.
Dr. Yen suggests two methods to reduce exposure to environmental toxins. First, in daily life, minimize contact with plastic products and reduce the intake of canned foods, artificial colors, emulsifiers, and artificial sweeteners. This is an important first step in reducing environmental toxin exposure. By first reducing the body's "import load," the body has more leeway to maintain metabolism and repair.
The second step is to strengthen elimination by optimizing liver detoxification and intestinal and kidney metabolic functions. Dr. Yen explained that the body's process of handling harmful environmental substances is a biochemical process highly dependent on "energy" and "nutrients." The liver, in particular, needs precise nutritional support to process toxins. People with chronic fatigue, unstable gastrointestinal conditions, metabolic abnormalities, or concerns about chronic inflammation or hormonal imbalance should consider seeking professional evaluation. (Editor: Li Xizhang) 1150603