A big part of staying healthy involves paying attention to, and limiting your exposure to toxins in your environment. Of course, you can’t avoid everything and attempting to do so will only make your life difficult. However, it’s crucial to protect yourself against some of the more serious toxins, like asbestos.
Just hearing the word ‘asbestos’ can make you feel awful when you know what it is, but if not, here’s the scoop. Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral found in the ground, but it’s extremely toxic to the human body and causes a rare form of cancer called mesothelioma.
Asbestos gets into the body through inhalation or ingestion and usually goes undetected, which is what makes it so dangerous. Most people have no idea they’ve been exposed until they develop major symptoms decades later.
Unfortunately, even with symptoms, people are often misdiagnosed because their issues are similar to common ailments, like COPD, asthma, and pneumonia.
If you haven’t been too concerned with asbestos exposure, you’ll probably change your mind after reading this article. Here are several reasons asbestos is more dangerous than you think.
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1. Mesothelioma symptoms take decades to appear
The most pressing reason to be concerned about asbestos exposure is the fact that symptoms can take decades to show up; that means you might not protect yourself as much if you think you’re okay.
For example, if you’ve been performing DIY renovations for many years without a problem, you might think you don’t need to take any extra precautions since you feel fine. However, that may not be your experience in 20 years.
Renovations are a surefire way to expose yourself and others to asbestos by disturbing building materials that contain this toxic mineral, like insulation and vinyl flooring. Over time, by inhaling asbestos fibers into your lungs even in the short-term, you could end up with pleural mesothelioma. If your exposure is long-term, your chance of developing this cancer only increases.
2. It’s hard to know if something contains asbestos
It’s impossible to know if something was made with asbestos just by looking at it. You really do need to get a professional to test the material. For instance, the insulation in your walls or ceiling might contain asbestos, but it’s not visible, and you shouldn’t handle it until you know for sure that it’s safe.
There are countless situations that expose people to asbestos, unbeknownst to them, and the result isn’t good. Although sometimes building owners know about a problem and fail to fix it, exposure isn’t always the result of negligence. Most of the time, it’s unknown that an issue exists in the first place. That’s actually what makes the situation more dangerous; if you don’t know you’ve been exposed, you can’t connect it with mesothelioma symptoms that develop years later.
3. Asbestos is present in places you’d least expect
Most people are surprised to learn that car parts contain asbestos. For example, brakes, clutches, gaskets, hood liners, spark plugs, mufflers, and heat shields often contain asbestos, and what’s even more surprising is that it’s perfectly legal. In the past, both drum and disc brakes were made with between 35-60% asbestos, but that amount is on the lower end today.
If you’ve ever worked as an auto mechanic, you’ve likely been exposed to asbestos. This applies to any vehicles you’ve worked on, including trucks, sedans, buses, motorcycles, trains, and even military vehicles. Just working in an automobile assembly plant, auto supply store, repair garage, bus or train depot, or a manufacturing plant can also make exposure to asbestos likely.
Since it’s heat-resistant, parts manufacturers also use asbestos in brakes installed in elevators and various transportation machinery. Basically, most brakes probably contain some level of asbestos.
4. There’s no cure for mesothelioma
Although many people do have a good survival rate with prompt and proper treatment, there is no cure for mesothelioma in the western medical community. The best you can do is manage and reduce the symptoms.
There are treatments like surgery and chemotherapy, but mesothelioma is aggressive and spreads quickly once symptoms become apparent.
Having said that, there are many way to treat Cancer naturally, like using Essiac Tea or going on an anti-cancer diet. My Uncle was diagnosed with Cancer a few years ago, and doctors told him there was nothing he can do. He left, did some research and healed himself.
I’m not sure about Mesothelioma, but if your doctor cannot help you, hit Google and YouTube for a few weeks and see if there are any alternative remedies/treatments or if anyone has cured themselves and shares their story.
Take asbestos exposure seriously
If you think you’ve been exposed to asbestos currently or in the past, consider making changes in your life that will at least reduce, if not eliminate exposure. For instance, if you work in a car manufacturing plant, think about getting a job in a different line of work that won’t put you at risk daily. The consequences of continued exposure are harsh and no job is worth risking your health and your life.
