It is pure trickery, achieved through the addition of a mind- boggling array of chemicals into every item, which ensures that it looks attractive, tastes better, and lasts longer. Unfortunately, it is the consumer who does not last long. Even if he does, it is by paying a considerable price in terms of aches, pains, and diseases. These chemical-laced items affect us in four ways:
1. By weakening the immune system: Chemicals suppress the production of new cells in our body that fight off bacteria As if that is not bad enough, high chemical levels increase the amount of free radicals due to which our body starts to use up its stores of nutrients like vitamins A, C and E, thus depleting the body’s immune system.
2. By causing chronic fatigue: Toxic chemicals destroy the ATPase enzymes in the muscles that convert food into energy, and thus reduce our ability to produce energy. Our and other nervous disorders muscles start to ache, leading to chronic fatigue syndrome
3. By promoting weight gain: Even though most synthetic chemicals originate from the same building blocks as natural substances like carbon and hydrogen, but their properties are different. As a result, our bodies do not even recognize them, let alone break them down. Over the years, these toxins accumulate and are stored as fats. Our natural weight control mechanism goes haywire when we have too many chemicals in the body. These toxins reduce the levels of adrenalin and dopamine, the hormones that allow our body to burn up fat, switch on appetite control, and raise our desire to exercise. Our hunger goes haywire while the motivation to do exercise dies down, forcing us to put on weight.
4. By increasing the chance of developing cancer: Our body has natural estrogen, which plays a crucial role in keeping blood vessels elastic, regulating the reproductive cycle, increasing cholesterol, and strengthening bones by absorbing calcium from the blood. However, chemicals mimic the real estrogen and wreak havoc in the cells. The body is unable to break down the chemical estrogen and this speeds up the growth and multiplication of cancer cells. Too much estrogen in the body sometimes leads to breast cancer
Even packaging materials and containers such as bottles, cups, and plates contain chemical substances. The worst of the lot is Bisphenol-A, known more as BPA, which is commonplace in canned food. It is linked to a wide array of health complications including Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, heart disease, neurobehavioral effects like ADHD, reproductive problems, obesity, and cancer. The paper and lining of microwave popcorn bags contain PFOAs (perfluorooctanoic acid). The high heat of the microwave vaporizes PFOAs and spreads them into the popcorn. If the bag of microwave popcorn is opened shortly after heating, the dangerous PFOAs can also be inhaled through the steam and can cause thyroid disease in humans and cancers in animals So, why not air pop your corns yourself? Better still, why not boil the corn on the cob? Or simply go in for fresh fruits and veggies. The ill effects of canned food are more pronounced in canned tomatoes as the acidity of the tomatoes can leech even more of this toxin from the cans into the food. It is imperative not to heat or freeze plastic containers. Leaving them overnight in your car is a big no-no. As far as possible, try to cook your meals from scratch. Choose frozen fruits and veggies when fresh is not available. Make tomato pure quantity when these are in season and freeze. or tomato sauce in large quantities when these are in season and freeze.
Then there are chemicals used to fight diseases in farm animals OF crops or found in food as a result of a production process such as heating or cooking or decontamination treatment.
As said earlier, the chemicals that have been added to the contemporary diet have also been conspiring to make the waistlines broader. There are at least 20 chemicals in modern food that promote fat storage by interfering with hormonal function. This startling discovery was made in 2006 by Bruce Blumberg, Ph.D., a developmental biologist at UC Irvine, who coined the term “obesogens” for these “endocrine disruptors” His study was published in the journal Endocrinology. Even seemingly healthy items like lean meats, fish, fruits, and veggies are not free from these.
These toxins disrupt the hormonal function and alter gut biome, thus causing an imbalance of good and bad bacteria. This imbalance leads to confused hunger cues, a sluggish metabolism, and an increase in fat cells and fat storage. As if that is not enough, these obesogens also increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Ironically, even doctors unwittingly dole out obesogens to patients because many of the popular medicines for diabetes, depression, hypertension, allergies, and inflammatory reactions promote weight gain.
When we take juices from those enticing tetrapacks that promise the goodness of fruit, because they boldly claim that the “real juice” is “not from concentrate”, we are not aware that it is processed with “artificial flavor” to ensure that each pack tastes exactly the same, no matter what time of year and regardless of the origin of oranges. This happens because large manufacturers blend orange juice through carefully controlled processes and artificial flavor calibration. These mixtures replace the natural flavors that are lost when the juice is deaerated (oxygen is chemically separated) so that it can sit on the shelf for more than a year without oxidizing.
Source: Cure Yourself Naturally by Amar Chandel