We simply must get to the root cause

Here’s something about which to think:Look at where we are today:we are breathing all sorts of pollutants outside and inside. Our office buildings,for example,recirculate air which is laden with germs,microbes,bacteria,mold plus toner dust from printers and photocopiers and let’s not forget perfumes and bad-smelling lunches. We’re breathing that all day long. Then,we go outside for some fresh air and breathe in exhaust,pollen,dust and a host of pollutants. So,we go home and sit down to a nice supper. Our meat is full of hormones,artificial vitamins,antibiotics,chemicals from fertilizer used to grow the vegetation on which the animals feed and…herbivore are even fed meat by-products which is completely unnatural for them. Then,of course,there are the residues from the packaging and,in some cases,‘seasonings’which are infused into the meat. We eat salads made from artificially fertilized lettuce,tomatoes grown indoors,salad dressing which contains,among other chemicals,MSG. Then,we have way too much aural and visual stimulation:try finding a quiet restaurant or coffee shop that doesn’t feature blaring music in the foreground (it’s too loud to be in the background). Then,we have our mobile devices which we’re constantly checking. So,exhausted,we drive home with the radio going or we’re on the bus listening to music coming from somebody’s headphones or to people yakking on their cell phones. I believe that the combination of chemicals in our food,pollutants in the air,and the overabundance of visual and aural stimulation is overtaxing our brains. I truly believe that a good portion of mental illness (other than genetic or congenital conditions) are caused by our environment or,at the very least,exacerbated by our environment. Add to this all the sugar and fat in processed food and I believe we have a recipe for disaster. Next time you’re at the grocery store,compare the amount of space given to fresh food versus the amount of space given to processed and frozen food. I think you might be shocked. Treating mental illness should begin at the source –our environment. As long as we eat poison and breathe poison and overstimulate our brains,I believe we’ll only be treating the symptoms and not the root cause –other than genetic or congenital conditions. We have children who are obese because of bad diet and lack of activity and this,I also believe,will lead to some sort of mental issue down the line –self-esteem,physical issues which bring on mental issues,etc. So,treating the illnesses after the fact is self-perpetuating. We simply must get to the root cause and,as consumers,stop supporting the industries which are poisoning us.