Foreign particles in your body?

What is a xenobiotic?

Xenobiotic, apart from being an impressive word to bring out during a dinner with friends, do you know what it is? Let’s dissect the word to understand it better. The xeno portion means alien. The biotic portion means life. So, xenobiotics are substances not compatible with life, therefore incompatible with our body.

More precisely, xenobiotics are chemical molecules harmful to the functioning of our cells. At high or low concentrations in the body, they are known to have toxic effects, especially in the long term.

Their accumulation in our body

Depending on their type and family, certain xenobiotics will be present for a certain time in the body and will lose their intensity over time and then be eliminated by the body's detox systems. Others will be more persistent and accumulate in various areas of the body. Their elimination requires greater effort. The subject may even need to detoxify to eliminate the most stubborn ones.

Generally speaking, this type of molecules is attracted to fats. We will therefore find them in greater concentration in adipose tissues. But this is not their only accumulation zone. Some can be stored in the lungs, others in the bones, etc.

The lifestyle of the North American population encourages the accumulation and inevitable consumption of xenobiotics, rather than definitive elimination.

Where do they come from ?

Xenobiotics come from various places all around us. In addition to finding them in the air we breathe, we will find these contaminants in our food in very large quantities, mainly when it is not organic. Attention! Xenobiotics are added to foods in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons, they do not occur naturally. At least not in large proportions.

Farming

Plant cultivation methods using pesticides or chemical fertilizers, as well as the use of growth hormones, antibiotics or other drugs when raising animals intended for consumption constitute important sources of xenobiotics. Without forgetting the very frequent presence of heavy metals, not only in fish, but also in livestock and conventionally farmed plants.

In the kitchen

In addition, the culinary transformations of the manufacturer or the consumer are in themselves a way of finding xenobiotics in our food. For example, cooking method, use of additives, bacterial contamination, food oxidation, etc. Even if we basically use raw foods that are completely healthy and without toxic traces, their poor care can very well make them unhealthy.

Food preservation

The storage methods of the manufacturer or the consumer constitute the final touch of contamination of the food. The use of preservatives, the use of plastic or aluminum, bacterial contamination are some common examples.

What do they do to our bodies?

1- They disrupt the functioning of our hormones

Although the effects on the body are still uncertain, we know that xenobiotics are very powerful endocrine disruptors. They work by sticking to hormone receptors. This means that these small molecules increase or stop the secretion of hormones which regulate the entire functioning of our body.

2- They prevent our cells from communicating

Additionally, they impair cellular communications throughout the body. If our cells can't talk to each other, it's chaos! Imagine a company with 100,000,000,000,000 employees. If no one talks to each other, how can we ensure the success of the company? It's the same thing in the body. 100,000,000,000,000 employees are our cells and for them to do their job properly, there must be perfect communication between them.

3- They ruin our immune system

Xenobiotics have an immunosuppressive effect. And yes, they do less than weaken our defenses and make us more vulnerable to infections.

How can we avoid them?

Contact with xenobiotics is almost inevitable. They are everywhere around us! On the other hand, everyone has the possibility of avoiding several easily controllable risk factors.

Here are some examples :

• Avoid pesticides and chemical fertilizers by consuming organic products. Remember that xenobiotics like fat. So, consider going organic when selecting meat, nuts, oils and any other fatty foods. Food also stores harmful substances.
• Substitute the use of plastic with glass, good quality stainless steel, ceramic or other stable material. This is even more important if the food is hot or acidic. In this state, the diffusion of toxic particles in food is increased.
• Avoid aluminum, especially for cooking or if it is in direct contact with food. The diffusion of toxic particles in food occurs easily.