I hear people use the argument that a product or type of food is better than “chemicals” (I’ll get back to this later) because it occurs in nature. However, “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean safer or better. For example, arsenic is naturally occurring and can be found in apple seeds. In very low quantities, it can be harmless but in higher doses can be fatal. So how do we separate the natural from the unnatural or “chemical” world?
Natural Vs. Chemicals
According the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health people believe chemicals should be avoided as they are toxic and synthetically created. The biggest misunderstanding is that everything is made from chemicals, from the air we breathe and the apples we eat, to the furniture that we sit on or the cars that we drive. We are even made from chemicals too.
There is truth to this argument that chemicals can be harmful to the environment as well as humans if inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin, such as chlorine. According to an article written by Finlayson-Pitts, 2013, like arsenic, chlorine is found in the natural world and man made environments. It is used in pools, cleaning products and pesticides, which can be harmful, but it is also found in the human body, such as hydrochloric acid in gastric fluids.
According to an article written by Mark Breninski many people decide to use “all natural products” because they are typically safer for every day use, better for the environment and better for indoor air quality, especially for those who have sensitivities. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) also recommends the use of gentler cleaning products.
However, according to Tonya Harris, an environmental toxin expert, these “green” products or “natural” products are unregulated so even these products may have one or two less ingredients than their counterparts, making them no less harmful to cleaning, as cited in The Seattle Times.
These green products may or may not be better for the environment, and, potentially our health overall. However, these “natural” cleaning products may remove germs from the surface but do not disinfect (defined as killing 99.999% of germs), according to Dr. Radford who is a PhD chemist and public health expert as cited in The Food Network blog. Is cleaning defined as cleaning the sauce off the countertop or disinfecting surfaces? There is a two step sanitation method required to remove dangerous pathogens from the surface, according to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) which can be read here.
So does the long term potential risk of chemical exposure outweigh the risk of not properly disinfecting household surfaces from dangerous pathogens that have a long life, such as salmonella?
Personally, in my massage environment, I use bleach regularly to clean the showers, toilets, sinks and for the laundry (in addition to hot water and laundry soap in the washing machine) as maintaining a high level of cleanliness in my environment. Proper sanitization is important for my comfort and part of my thoughtfulness of those who I invite into my world. I also use a strong disinfectants to mop the floors and wipe down all surfaces.
Natural vs. Chemicals in Food & Medicine
We already touched on cleaning and disinfecting surfaces properly, which can affect safe food ingestion free of pathogens. A well balanced, healthy diet is better at vitamin and mineral absorption than relying on supplements, according to Harvard Health Publishing, 2015. Taking too many vitamins and minerals can also be harmful to our health so monitoring intake under the direction of a licensed medical professional is important.
Nutrients from foods have also been positively correlated with lower risk of mortality meanwhile excessively taking supplements increases the risk of death, according to a study conducted by Chen et. al (2019) and highlighted by Medical News Today.
The other side of the coin is as we get older, we tend to eat less and our absorption rate decreases so sometimes taking supplements are essential to maintain a certain level of health.
Natural foods, such as fresh fruits, vegetables and meats, are typically recommend over highly processed foods. However, according to a medically reviewed article written by Lisa Hodgson & nutritionally written by Jillian Kubala, processed foods aren’t necessarily less healthy and categorizing food groups as “highly processed” can be highly variable between different research studies. It is clear that these conceptualizations of what is healthy and not aren’t “black and white”.
What about organic foods? According to the Mayo clinic, natural foods mean that there are no additives and preservatives whereas organic is defined as a list of criteria which needs to be met in order to be considered organic (note: free range or hormone free is not considered organic). There seems to be some benefits to ingesting organic such as mild to moderate increase in terms of nutrients (in grains only - not fruits and vegetables) and prevalence of Omega 3 in organic meats, but there are also downsides, such as not being 100% pesticide free or not necessarily being a healthier option (and reading labels are essential). If interested, you can read more about it here.
Nature has given us some medicines derived by plants, such as aspirin and morphine, and even fungus, such as penicillin used for bacterial infections against staphylococci and other pathogens. But not all products in nature have been shown scientifically to be effective, such as several major studies of the herb Echinacea which does not find evidence of benefit against the common cold despite mainstream claims of the opposite (Karach-Volk et. al, 2014).
Naturopathy or alternative medicine has also become a trend to those seeking a more “natural” lifestyle. Naturopathy has many benefits, such as their focus on preventative medicine, a more collaborative process with the patient and a focus on “mind, body and soul” integration. But nothing comes without risk as there are also many dangers that may arise with this profession, according to the Centre for Inquiry.
This can range from treating medical disorder with a wide variety of unproven or disproven treatments, which can affect the patient’s informed consent, as well as less training and education overall compared to their medical counterparts. What I also found interesting is that many articles either fully supported or discredited these naturopathic industries, which is usually an indication of a poorly written article from both perspectives.
There are many phytochemicals that live in plants, seeds, fruits and flowers that can be beneficial for anti inflammatory, anti cancer, hypoglycemic, antioxidant substances with protective properties of the neurological, hepatic, cardio, and gastro systems (Majeed & Bhat, 2022). However, Ephedra, used for cold and flu, have been associated with heart problems and the risk of death and even kava that has been used for anxiety, has also been linked to severe liver damage. Will these effects happen overnight? Maybe but more than likely not. However, long-term use and higher quantities may increase the chances of developing the side effects. In addition, extracting the medicinal chemicals from the plants to put into a pill form may also a safer alternative because the medicinal part is controlled for on a molecular level. With plants, we don’t know just how much of the chemical components we are getting with each leaf, flower, seed or plant and we also can’t control the other chemicals in the plant which may be harmful to us in certain quantities or overtime.
What does this grey area mean? Is the argument of “all natural” sufficient to describe and conceptualize the idea of using alternative products, eating natural food or taking alternative medicines or does it perpetuate the spread of misinformation and fear mongering ideologies? What are the ramifications on mental health for trying to live an “all natural” lifestyle?
How far down the rabbit hole do you go?
Mental Health Impact
Considering all these points above and grey areas can make anyone feel stressed, anxious or even depressed if they are trying to do the right thing for themselves and for their families. There are too many variables to make absolute decisions.
Someone close to me in my life lives a lifestyle of taking on the more natural approach. This person was diagnosed a few years ago with a medical condition but they refuse to seek any medical treatment from licensed medical professionals. Instead, they visit their naturopathic doctor regularly and live off of a very bland, low calorie diet as well as a suitcase full of supplements.
I can see them wasting away as a person, not only physically, but also mentally. I can see that they are very unhappy in their lives, and they are pushing their family away. This isn’t the person that I knew prior to the diagnosis. It took this person a lot of hospital visits to get an official diagnosis, which has hindered their confidence in the medical field. The fear is that they will be back in the place they were prior to the diagnosis so this lifestyle has been something to relieve their anxieties and keep them safe from the space where felt helpless. However, I feel like taking a complete 180 and completely ignoring medical evidence and sound medical advice has affected their relationship with themselves and their family. Although I don’t have any proof, I do have my suspicions, my experiences and my educational background
I believe trying too hard to live this all natural lifestyle can leave a person vulnerable and predisposed to developing mental health issues such as anxiety disorders (obsessive compulsive disorder) and even depression.
Natural as a Perspective: In The Sex Industry
How do we conceptualize what is natural and what is not? There is not always a positive association between chemicals that are naturally occurring in nature and safety and better health.
What about the way we perceive how a person looks? Many girls in the sex industry have procedures done, some are minor, such as Botox and filler, whereas others can be more invasive, such as breast augmentation or liposuction.
I read that some suitors prefer a more “natural“ looking provider. Sure, the girl may not have breast enhancements, but you can almost (not always) guarantee that she has filler and/or Botox? Does this make her less natural? Botox is made from C. botulinum, which is a type of neurotoxin (naturally occurring outside of the body) whereas one of the main ingredients in fillers is hyaluronic acid (which naturally occurs inside the body). Fillers, however, are a more obvious procedure than Botox. Botox freezes the face, whereas fillers fill the face, and even though its main ingredient is naturally occurring in the body, when overdone, it looks more “unnatural” and more obvious that cosmetic work has been done in comparison to Botox.
When we talk about natural providers, are we talking about the way someone looks or what a person has done to their body?
I have natural breasts. How do we know that my breasts would have been this large without ingesting milk growing up that may have potentially had growth hormones or even water that I drink that may have had estrogens, which do not break down with the processing methods? Can “natural” refer to how someone looks rather than what they ingest or obvious modifications to their body?
Breast enhancements can include implants, but can also consist of fat transfer surgeries. Fat transfer is when a surgeon extracts fat from a part of a person’s body and transfers it to a desired area, such as the buttox or breasts. With fat transfer, compared to augmentation (breast implants), the procedure is not as obvious but certainly does not fit the criteria for “natural” if we are talking about the body someone is given vs. the body sculpted through cosmetic procedure. Many girls choose implants because it is a quicker way to achieve the desired results. With fat transfer surgery, there is more risk as you may not achieve the results in one procedure and so going under the knife several times does not sound desirable.
In summary, the term “natural” cannot accurately conceptualize everything that we encounter in our world. Natural isn’t always better or safer. Cleaning products that are “green” may (or may not) be better for the environment and potentially your health, but also can put your health at risk by not properly sanitizing your environment. The definition of processed foods is on a continuum and can be rated on a case by case basis, based on many variables and differing professional opinions. Organic foods may be better for us, but the benefits may be negligible. Before taking a supplement or an alternative medication, exercise caution, implement critical thinking, seek advice from medical professionals and read scientifically peer reviewed literature to make an informed decision. Trying to fully control for the factors of living a 100% natural, green life will only put us at risk for mental health issues, especially anxiety and depression. Do your best and assess all risk. Life isn’t black and white. Living a fully balanced life is learning to be comfortable in the gray areas.
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