Car exhausts, industrial activity<\/strong>, technological development, the constant production of waste or the agricultural use of pesticides<\/strong>, among many other factors, generate a huge amount of heavy metals that are distributed throughout nature and pollute the environment<\/strong>. As a result, the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe are full of toxic substances<\/strong> that, over time, accumulate in our bodies and affect our health.<\/p>\n As Joana Andr\u00e9, Healthy Nutrition Consultant at SHA tells us, “ingestion, inhalation and absorption through the skin<\/strong> are the three ways heavy metals enter the body. However, it is important to note that not all of them are harmful<\/strong>. In fact, some, such as iron or zinc<\/strong>, are essential<\/strong> elements<\/strong> for the body to perform certain biological, physiological and metabolic functions. However, others such as mercury, lead, silver, arsenic and cadmium<\/strong> are potentially toxic<\/strong>, especially in high doses.<\/p>\n Heavy metals are present in a wide variety of products<\/strong>, from foodstuffs to mobile phones, plastics, cars and pesticides. As Joana explains, “their accumulation can significantly compromise health, causing changes in the structure of cellular DNA<\/strong> and leading to the development of neurological and cardiovascular diseases, some types of cancer and diabetes. It is therefore very important to be aware of the symptoms of intoxication<\/strong> and to pay attention to the signs. For example, arsenic poisoning causes fatigue, increased salivation, headaches<\/strong>, dermatitis, muscle weakness and hair loss”.<\/p>\n