Envionmental Health 101
Environmental health is a vast topic. It is often surprising how much there is to consider. This course can help create a framework for understanding the topic. And as importantly, it will provide introductory environmental health concepts you can start integrating into your life today. An environmental health assessment is included to help you jump start your journey to living a healthier life.
What is Environmental Health comprised of?
Environmental Health is a broad term that includes almost everything around us. As you begin learning more about how the envirnment impacts your health and the health of others, you may see many of the words below in the articles you read or stories people share.
Take some time to learn these new terms and their definitions to begin forming the foundation of your Environmental Health knowledge.
Definitions
Synthetic hormone-mimicking compounds that interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding action, or elimination of natural hormones in the body.
A division of philosophy concerned with valuing the environment, primarily as it relates to humankind, secondarily as it relates to other creatures and to the land.
The everyday things in our lives that expose us to toxins that could harm our bodies. These include:
Mold
Pesticides
Agricultural run-off
Water
Fragrances
Chlorine
Heavy metals
The National Environmental Health Association defines Environmental Health as the scientific practice of preventing human injury and illness and promoting well-being by:
Identifying and evaluating environmental sources and hazardous agents and
Limiting exposures to hazardous physical, chemical, and biological agents in air, water, soil, food, and other environmental media or settings that may adversely affect human health.
The study of how your personal choices and behaviors, along with your environment, impact the way your genes work and your body functions.
A measure of the effects of life-long environmental exposures on health.
How bioactive food components, including phytonutrients & chemicals, communicate with genetic information and effect changes within a cell. Phytonutrients are the natural compounds found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
Foreign chemical compounds that disrupt normal development and balance of lipid metabolism, which in some cases can lead to obesity.
Environmental Awareness for You and Your Community
Start learning all the ways the environment impacts your life and actionable steps you can take to make improvements today.
Approx. Reading Time: 30 min
Number of Pages: 23
What does Environmental Health impact?
- Environmental risk factors play a role in more than 8-% of the diseases regularly reported to the WHO.
- Cognitive impairment
- Immune dysfunction
- Hormonal imbalances
- Impaired digestion
- Weight management
- Cleaning products
- Personal care products
- Food additives
- Plastics
- Furniture
- Food storage containers and cookware
- Construction and home improvement materials
- Air quality
- Water quality
- Pesticides
- Proximity to power line, utilities grid, or other infrastructure
- Nuclear power plants
- Changes in routine that may cause more stress or anxiety
- Noise or light pollution
- Different things to consider based on where you live:
- Urban
- Rural
- Factories
- Farms
- Cities with excessive pollution
- Air quality
- Lighting
- Construction materials
- Cleaning products
Ask yourself what chemicals might you be exposed to without even realizing it?
- Could cleaning products on surfaces be transferred to your eyes or mouth, exposing you to toxins?
- If food and snacks are provided in an office setting, are there healthy options available? Are You able to see all the ingredients listed?