Book Surgeon No. 31

First off, let me take a second to acknowledge my cousin Jacob for dropping off and recommending this book, Fatal Conveniences by Darin Orlien. The topics of this book are extremely relevant for anyone concerned about their health and longevity. Orlien discusses, for instance, how industrial chemicals are now routinely found in many of our household products even though the verdict on their long-term consequences for our health are still ambiguous. He writes, “over the past fifty or so years, more than 80,000 chemicals have been introduced into our environment, and the vast majority weren’t tested first to see if they were safe for human contact. We know for a fact that at least 1,500 of them are suspected of being carcinogenic. Many times … we don’t even know that these substances are contained in the things we use every day.” It is astonishing how quickly convenience chemicals have taken over and how little we generally think about potential long-term consequences. Even if chemicals are tested for safety, we cannot be completely certain that they do not have long-term consequences because they simply have not been around for that long. Additionally, the scientific process is incredibly useful for helping us understand the world around us, including the effects of chemicals we create. However, the scientific process is often very burdensome and slow. Some of the characteristics that make science trustworthy–like the peer review process–also make it slow. We accept this tradeoff because it allows us to reach more unbiased and evidence-based conclusions about the world around us. However, not all industries operate at the same pace, which creates a disconnect between what products we are buying and what we know about these products. Technological innovation, for instance, is incredibly fast-paced and has allowed for the introduction of a plethora of conveniences in our lives–but has also brought new consequences like an increased exposure to electromagnetic radiation. Often, as a result of the simplicity and comfort new devices bring to our lives, we do not give much daily thought to the potential consequences. Yet, as Orlien notes, “in 2015, the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks reviewed the research on electromagnetic fields in general and cell phones in particular. It found that even extremely-low-frequency EMFs could be linked to an increased risk of childhood leukemia.” Nonetheless, more than “half of kids in the United States have a smartphone by the time they’re eleven.” These assertions should make us uncomfortable. Are we moving too fast? What risks are we taking by using our devices so frequently? Do we even know the risks? Risk-taking is critical to living a fulfilling life, but when we take risks, we ideally would know what the risks that we are taking are. Nowadays, we all too often swim in the dark, allowing the executives of the nation’s richest companies to tell us what is safe and beneficial to our lives. Can we really trust these individuals to have our best interests in mind? 

While Orlien spends much of the book discussing chemicals found in products like detergent, deodorant, clothing, shampoo, toothpaste, etc., I am personally most concerned about the chemicals that are found in food–since the food and drinks we consume go directly into our body. And unfortunately, while the profit motive of food and beverage companies typically drives down prices of goods, it also pushes these companies to engage in practices that are directly opposed to our health and well-being. For example, “in 2018, a lawsuit against Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, [which is used to fight weeds in agricultural settings], resulted in the public release of documents showing that the company had interfered in the peer review process of academic papers, ghostwritten articles in toxicology journals, and created fake academic websites defending its products.” These are the incidences that should make us question the priorities of the executives and companies that are involved in putting the food we eat into our homes. Furthermore, while new chemically produced preservatives have allowed us to enjoy the tremendous convenience of packaged foods and frozen meals, they should not be assumed to definitely have no long-term consequences. As Orlien writes, “Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are used as preservatives in some foods because they stabilize fats and prevent them from going rancid. They’re also found in breakfast cereals, some desserts, chewing gum, and glazed fruits. According to the National Toxicology Program, BHA is ‘reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen’ based on animal studies, though human studies have been inconclusive. But the FDA claims that it’s generally recognized as safe for use in food.” Clearly, there is no clear consensus on the effects of common food preservatives on our overall health. So the question we should be asking ourselves is if it is worth the risk of daily use. With how common preservatives such as these are in our foods, it would be almost impossible to completely avoid them always. Yet, when possible, perhaps we should take the effort to consume more whole and minimally processed foods, such as our ancestors have for many hundreds of years. Ultimately, the point of this book is not to convince us to give up all of the products that make our life easier but rather to show us that we should be more aware of what we are putting on and in our bodies, so we can make better informed decisions and take the risks that we truly want to be taking.

Share with others if you enjoy! Thanks for reading and see you next week!