Mental health has been one of the hardest things to take care of during the madness of 2020, as none of us could prepare for the trauma and stress we have all had to deal with. However, certain aspects of our mental health are, to a certain extent, controllable, but we don’t even realize it.
For example, the air we breathe and the toxins we expose ourselves to can directly affect our mental processing. In a study performed on a study group of Salt Lake County’s third graders, they found that “math proficiency was significantly and negatively impacted by higher frequency peak PM2.5 exposures.” The simple act of breathing in polluted air can affect our cognitive abilities.
Even further, Barbara Demeneix noted in her book “Toxic Cocktail” that one’s “risk of developing ADHD was strongly linked to maternal exposure during pregnancy to the flame retardant polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE).”
While these examples have serious and concerning effects on our health, they both go virtually unnoticed on any given day. We must educate ourselves on these toxins and learn how we can avoid them to protect our mental health in every way we can.
Demeneix proposes a list of preventative acts that limit our exposure to toxins, ranging from suggestions like “do not microwave food in plastic containers” (because the plastic releases quite a few toxins when heated up) to washing “clothes that may have been treated with flame retardants before wearing” them.
These simple fixes add up to significant changes in the long term, but we do not make those simple changes when we are unaware of their benefits. For your health and the health of your family members, get educated, and then get away from unnecessary daily toxins.
Anya Biskupiak, Salt Lake City