7. Environmental Pollutants: The Invisible Threat
You may think you’re safe indoors, but environmental pollutants can be as insidious as they are ubiquitous. Among these are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), once used widely in electrical equipment and now banned but persisting in the environment. These compounds can leach into soil and water, entering our food chain, ultimately leading to a myriad of health issues, including colorectal cancer.
PCBs have been found to interfere with hormone functions in the body. They mimic or block hormones and disrupt their regular functions, which can lead to abnormal cell growth. It’s as if these pollutants wear a biochemical disguise, deceiving our body’s natural defense mechanisms.
Take another example: heavy metals like cadmium and lead found in contaminated water or old plumbing. These elements can accumulate in the body over time. Not just any regular accumulation, we are talking about bioaccumulation in tissues that may lead to oxidative stress—a precursor for cancer. (7)
