1 The body and how it “reads” pollution
The concept is not merely symbolic: the scientific evidence1,2 is now extensive.
Medical and environmental research shows that our bodies collect and retain traces of the pollution surrounding us.
Among the most significant findings:
- Microplastics detected in blood, breast milk and the lungs of healthy individuals,
- PFAS (the so-called “forever chemicals”) traceable in almost 100% of the Western population,
- Increased systemic inflammation markers in individuals with prolonged exposure to environmental toxins.
In other words, we fall ill the same way the planet does. Not metaphorically, but literally, increasingly interfering with the natural physiology of our metabolism.
2 Microplastics and target organs: a systemic problem
The gut, as we’ve seen, is often the first point of contact – but it isn’t the only one. A 2024 study3 published in The New England Journal of Medicine identified nanoplastics and microplastics in the carotid plaques of patients at cardiovascular risk. The presence of these particles was linked to an increased risk of acute events such as heart attack and stroke.
The nervous system may also be involved: certain types of plastic release endocrine disruptors that affect hormonal balance, potentially influencing mood, metabolism and cognitive function – and impacting other tissues, including the lungs and reproductive system.
3 Environmental symptoms: When diagnosis expands its horizons
Chronic fatigue, recurrent inflammation, sleep disturbances and hormonal imbalances – common, sometimes underestimated symptoms that are now increasingly being interpreted through an environmental lens. The body doesn’t always tell us “what’s wrong” – but it does often tell us “what it’s accumulating”.
There is in fact growing interest in an integrated approach to prevention, connecting:
- Nutrition
- Healthy lifestyle habits
- Purification (Detox)
- Monitoring of environmental exposure.
4 A cultural change (more so than a clinical one)
If we truly fall ill like the planet does, we must begin to rethink health as part of ecology, and vice versa. Looking after ourselves doesn’t just mean eliminating symptoms, but creating an environment that supports life, both within and around us.
Personal sustainability means:
- Looking after ourselves without extremism
- Recognising the body’s signals as reflections of the environment
- Making everyday choices that have a positive impact on future generations.
As the German philosopher Feuerbach once said, “We are what we eat.” Today, we can safely add: “We are what we eat, drink and breathe.”
