Environmental Health

Environmental health, as defined by EHINZ, refers to aspects of human health, including quality of life, that can be determined or affected by physical and non-physical factors in our world and in ourselves. Environmental health focuses on and examines the relationship and interaction between the environment and our health.

Environmental health and environmental illnesses embrace all genetic and non-genetic factors that may have an impact on our health—physical, chemical, biological, social, and psychological—and the resulting health issues. It’s not just “the outdoors,” chemicals, and/or toxic exposures. It involves COVID-19, long COVID, stress, hormones, aspects of modern lifestyles, noise pollution, infectious diseases, viruses, and more (see here, and here, and here).

.

Environmental Illnesses

Environmental illnesses are illnesses and diseases that occur or whose symptoms get worse when the person is exposed to something in the environment.

In an environmental illness, something that a person has been exposed to causes them to have mild to severe symptoms and reactions. The substances and environments to which a person may react, following an exposure, include but are not limited to:

Chemicals and substances such as pesticides, ingredients in medications, food dyes, food colorings, cleaners/detergents, hand sanitizers, plastics, many personal care products, and more that can bring about mild to severe systemic reactions as well as anaphylaxis

Biological substances such as from different kinds of mold

Public places such as buses, trains, and other public transportation, libraries, museums, schools, offices, hospitals, health centers, and more whose environments can contain chemicals and substances to which a person may react

Physical factors such as in skin cancer that a person can develop from too much exposure to ultraviolet radiation

Lifestyle factors such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, issues from substance abuse (for example, alcoholism)

Airborne pathogens such as viruses and bacteria that can spread when a person who may have a certain infection coughs, sneezes, or talks and sends their nasal and throat secretions into the air. Some viruses can hang in the air, land on other people, or land on surfaces. A person then could breathe in these airborne pathogenic organisms or could pick up germs if they touch surfaces the germs are on and then touch their own eyes, nose, or mouth (see here). COVID-19, pneumonia, the flu are all spread by airborne pathogens

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) includes in their publication, “Environmental Diseases from A to Z”: allergies; asthma; dermatitis; immune deficiency diseases; illnesses caused by chemicals and other agents, poisonous chemicals, dyes, metals; nervous system disorders; vision problems, and more (see here). Many of the illnesses and diseases listed have a basis in mast cell activation (see here).

.

Mast Cells & Environmental Illnesses

Mast cell disorders and diseases (MCD) such as mastocytosis, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and other mast cell activation-related issues and illnesses (for instance, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), being sensitive to multiple chemicals and substances, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), fibromyalgia, and more) come under the broad heading of environmental illnesses. This is because things in the environment that individuals may be exposed to bring on and/or worsen their symptoms and reactions.

Current research points to and highlights mast cell involvement in COVID-19 and long COVID (also called post COVID), in their mechanisms of action, and in their symptoms (see here, here, and  here).

.

Connecting the Dots

There is a certain disconnect within and among healthcare professions and healthcare professionals when it comes to mast cells and mast cell activation related issues and disorders. Although mastocytosis is a rare disease, mast cell activation related issues and disorders such as Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) are not rare.

Still, the majority of doctors, general practitioners, healthcare providers consider mast cells and mast cell activation issues to be something for “specialists” while at the same time they recognize, diagnose, and treat a variety of medical conditions that have a basis in and/or involve mast cell activation without making the mast cell connection.

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of mast cell activation and being able to provide individuals with diagnoses that include mast cell activation diagnoses allows for more comprehensive treatments and supports, and, ultimately, the actual easing of symptoms and suffering for the person.

It’s important to keep in mind that we live in relationship with our environment, the natural environment as well as the built environment, and that environmental illnesses are any and all illnesses that occur, are brought on, or whose symptoms worsen due to environmental factors (e.g., air pollution, toxins, chemicals, viruses and airborne pathogens to name only a few.)

Below is a list of some of the more common health issues that fall under the heading of environmental illnesses and what the environmental triggers are for each of these illnesses. Below that are listed common health issues and ailments that primary care providers and generalists treat regularly without needing the intervention of or referrals to a specialist whose symptoms, and pathogenesis of the illness itself, involve mast cell activation.

Understanding mast cells, mast cell activation, and the role of mast cells in so many illnesses and health issues means more accurate diagnoses with informed treatments, interventions, and supports. It means more people actually feeling better.

.

Environmental triggers and:

Crohns disease & colitis
Celiac disease
Autoimmune diseases here and here
Thyroid disease
Eczema
Fibromyalgia
Lupus
Parkinson’s
ALS
Rheumatic disease
Migraines

.

Mast cells and:

Disorders of the gut
Crohn’s disease
Celiac disease
Inflammatory bowel disease
Autoimmune diseases
Thyroid disorders
Eczema and skin disorders
Fibromyalgia
Lupus
Neurodegenerative diseases (e.g.,Parkinson’s)
ALS
Asthma
Alzheimer’s disease
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Rheumatic disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Cardiovascular disease (see here and here)
Migraines
Interstitial cystitis (bladder pain)

Additional Research