There is a very commendable sharpening of opinion around saving the Earth from environmental disaster, but are we ignoring a gathering crisis in our own health? Should we be investigating what impact our modern lifestyles and environmental toxicity may be having on the exponentially rising levels of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, infertility, autism, and several more conditions? What is causing this spike in comparison to previous generations? I believe we owe it to ourselves and to future generations to identify the factors involved and take remedial action. Only if we are healthy ourselves, can we be able custodians of Mother Earth as well.
There can be no doubt that technology has created several wonderful benefits for human society. In particular, recent decades have seen a tremendous, even exponential, rise in conveniences and possibilities. Certainly, this holds true of healthcare as well, from imaging and monitoring to the minimal incisions required in key-hole surgery, the ever-widening scope of pharmaceuticals and literally thousands of other interventions. Then again, a second look at the previous sentence causes some concern. Notice, all the things I listed represented a response to, or cures for, disease, and not prevention. Despite the obvious advantages to being able to treat a much greater array of medical problems that ever before, nearly any human adult living today can vouch for the fact that they have noticed an increase in the number of conditions and sick people, within their circle of friends and acquaintances, within their lifetime.
I understand that anecdotal evidence should be considered weak at best, but this state of affairs is so commonplace and universally accepted, that it is not possible to ignore. Furthermore, as I noted previously, there is actually very substantial statistical evidence that confirms this massive spike in a number of conditions that are either dangerous or severely limiting of the quality of the patient’s life. So how do we reconcile the fact that despite a dramatic growth in our ability to intervene in healthcare outcomes, with the help of technology, the ground reality is anything but rosy?
Lifestyle and environment, as the source of ill-health.
Human bodies are optimized for relationships, both within themselves and as part of larger systems outside their physical limits. I think it is possible to make the claim that, ultimately, most diseases can be traced to an imbalance or dysfunction in one or both these two broad sets of dependencies. Homo-sapiens has, as far as scientists can tell, been relatively the same in physical form, since somewhere between 200, 000 to 100,000 years. However, our environments have changed completely from the beginning of that journey to the present day. We are exposed to a wider array of materials, radiations and stresses, than at any time in the arc of our existence. There is, in the very least, some reason to believe that these changes in our environment and behaviours have a substantial part to play in the state of our health.
It is widely understood, for instance, that the average modern human’s lifestyle is radically more sedentary than what is ideal for our bodies. I have always found many Americanisms extremely to the point and descriptive, and certainly “use it or lose it” is one such phrase. The human body does not take well to being grossly inactive and not getting enough exercise is certainly a huge contributor to the downturn in public health. Having said that, at least the benefits of exercise are well known to all. It is probably true that a wider proportion of the population is currently engaged in some form of physical fitness regimen than at many other times in our history. Likewise, very active public campaigns have successfully spread awareness about the risks of smoking, excessive fat consumption, sugar intake and cholesterol levels. In all honesty, while these remain concerns, I am happy that some positive movement has occurred in this regard. What concerns me far more deeply is unhealthy aspects of our environment and lifestyle that we are not gathering the will to change, simply because we have become habituated to them.
Is convenience more important to us than our health?
A few of the most dangerous of such elements are, perhaps not surprisingly, ones that create convenience in our lives. Our addiction to plastic, for instance, is one such phenomenon. I am, of course, aware that the appropriate grade of plastic should be what is used for the packaging of our food. However, this is currently only being practiced in the most scrupulous of developed economies. The vast majority of human beings are living lifestyles that are far less conscientiously adhering to such practices. Even more alarmingly, recent studies indicate that tiny plastic particles may have already contaminated our soils, marine life, poultry etc. to such an extent, that simply using food grade plastic is no protection from the harmful effects of the material. What is more ubiquitous than computers and smartphones, in today’s age? This is despite the fact that we are all increasingly aware that there are consequences to spending long hours in their presence, without any break. Ask yourself this, how many people do you know, who have turn their back on these gadgets, in exchange for the peace of mind they have gained from the reduced risk to their health?
Another such instance is the use of pesticides and weedicides. While there can be no doubt as the benefits of the green revolution, in terms of feeding the hungry, are we overlooking alternatives? Recent experiments in natural and organic farming, around the world, have shown results that match chemical farming in yield. Should we not investigate and support these methodologies further? I contend that we should. We have lived with air pollution as if there is no other choice available to us. Sure, cheap energy is an incredibly empowering thing. I’d go so far as to say that it has completely redefined our world. What price are we willing to pay for it, however? Isn’t our health and that of the entire ecosystem more important? Of course it is! As much research and breakthroughs as have put into the field, are we really adopting these solutions on a war footing? Should economic viability even be part of the equation, when such critical outcomes are at stake? Another set of innovations that has produced unintended consequences for our health are, ironically, our pharmaceuticals. I understand taking risks in extreme situations, when health has deteriorated to a point of life-or-death. One such instance of that would be a patient being subjected to highly damaging chemotherapy, in order to kill a cancer they have become a host to. However, it is now routine for medicines to have a longer list of unpleasant side-effects than benefits. Should we be settling for such solutions? Is it even ethical to market such a solution?
I understand that these are complex questions that can be answered from many more perspectives than one. I would certainly not want the reader to conclude that I am jumping to conclusions, even though it’s hard to not have an opinion on such critical matters. All I wish to point out is that we should be having this conversation and that the world can’t simply operate on the principle that these conveniences are too critical to consider their consequences. These few things I have drawn attention to are hardly an exhaustive list. Slowly but surely, dangerous choices we have become accustomed to are adding up to take a toll on our collective health.
Conclusion
Our relationship with technology has always had consequences. It is always the case that unforeseen consequences may completely redefine whether or not the downside of a solution is worth it. Unfortunately, humanity’s ability to anticipate and account for these downsides is imperfect. Far too often, we tend to settle for an uncritical assessment of risks, because the upside blinds us. There can be no doubt that several environmental and lifestyle factors are contributing to a very alarming fall in our health metrics. I strongly believe the time has come for us to invest heavily into identifying and isolating the factors in our modern lives that are contributing to health risks. No amount of convenience is worth such consequences. The time to take stock and course correct is now, before technology gains even more momentum and the consequences of not doing so become even more alarming.
