Chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular illness, autoimmune conditions, and cancer are increasing at an unprecedented rate. While lifestyle factors like poor nutrition, inactivity, gentic and stress play a role, Functional Medicine experts emphasize another crucial—yet often overlooked—driver: environmental toxins.
This 3-part series explores the science behind toxins and their impact on health:
By the end of this series, you’ll understand why addressing toxic burden is central to preventing and reversing chronic disease—and how a functional medicine approach offers real, lasting solutions.
👉 Start with Part I and continue through to Part III for the full picture.
Why Chronic Disease is Rising
In today’s society, we are witnessing an unprecedented rise in chronic diseases. Across every age group, the burden of conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer is higher than at any other point in human history.
Take diabetes as an example. We typically attribute its development to lifestyle factors such as poor nutrition, physical inactivity, obesity, and excessive sugar consumption. Indeed, these factors play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. However, an interesting paradox emerges when we look at long-term trends: sugar consumption actually peaked over 50 years ago and has declined in recent decades—yet diabetes rates continue to climb.
At the same time, cases of insulin resistance are accelerating, and projections suggest that a significant portion of the global population will develop diabetes in the coming years. This discrepancy signals that something beyond traditional risk factors is driving the epidemic.
Groundbreaking work by South Korean researcher Duk-Hee Lee revealed a critical clue: among obese individuals, only those with higher toxic burdens went on to develop diabetes.
These environmental pollutants, now often referred to as “diabetogens” or “obesogens,” appear to interfere with metabolic function, making certain individuals far more susceptible to disease than others.
But there’s more.
Dr. Joseph Pizzorno (founder of Bastyr University and board member of the Institute for Functional Medicine) highlights a crucial, often overlooked factor: environmental toxins combined with declining nutrient density in food.
· Modern agriculture focuses on preserving only the 43 “essential nutrients” needed to prevent deficiency diseases, while thousands of protective compounds (flavonoids, carotenoids, polyphenols) have been stripped from our diets.
· At the same time, we are exposed daily to pesticides, plastics, endocrine disruptors, and heavy metals that damage our metabolism, hormones, and immune system.
The result is a double burden: fewer protective nutrients and more toxic exposures, leading to faster cellular aging and higher risk of disease.
Conclusion
The rise in chronic disease cannot be fully explained by lifestyle choices or genetics alone.
While poor diet and inactivity matter, growing evidence suggests that environmental toxins act as hidden drivers of modern epidemics, tipping the balance toward metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance, and eventually diabetes.
This insight challenges the traditional view of chronic disease and opens the door to a broader perspective—one that looks at toxic burden and nutrient depletion together.
In the next article, we’ll explore exactly how these toxins disrupt our biology and why they may be the missing link in understanding the global rise of chronic illness.
📢 Want to know how toxins might be affecting your health? Book a consultation and we’ll build a personalized strategy for you
References
· Pizzorno J. Environmental Toxins and Chronic Disease. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2018.
· Rappaport SM. “Implications of the exposome for exposure science.” J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2011.
· Lee DH, Porta M, Jacobs DR Jr, Vandenberg LN. Chlorinated persistent organic pollutants, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Endocr Rev. 2014;35(4):557-601. doi:10.1210/er.2013-1084
This 3-part series explores the science behind toxins and their impact on health:
- Part I – Why Chronic Disease is Rising: The hidden role of toxins beyond diet and lifestyle.
- Part II – How Toxins Disrupt Our Biology: The mechanisms by which toxins drive obesity, diabetes, autoimmunity, and more.
- Part III – Detoxification the Functional Medicine Way: Science-based strategies for restoring resilience and supporting detox pathways.
By the end of this series, you’ll understand why addressing toxic burden is central to preventing and reversing chronic disease—and how a functional medicine approach offers real, lasting solutions.
👉 Start with Part I and continue through to Part III for the full picture.
Why Chronic Disease is Rising
In today’s society, we are witnessing an unprecedented rise in chronic diseases. Across every age group, the burden of conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer is higher than at any other point in human history.
Take diabetes as an example. We typically attribute its development to lifestyle factors such as poor nutrition, physical inactivity, obesity, and excessive sugar consumption. Indeed, these factors play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. However, an interesting paradox emerges when we look at long-term trends: sugar consumption actually peaked over 50 years ago and has declined in recent decades—yet diabetes rates continue to climb.
At the same time, cases of insulin resistance are accelerating, and projections suggest that a significant portion of the global population will develop diabetes in the coming years. This discrepancy signals that something beyond traditional risk factors is driving the epidemic.
Groundbreaking work by South Korean researcher Duk-Hee Lee revealed a critical clue: among obese individuals, only those with higher toxic burdens went on to develop diabetes.
These environmental pollutants, now often referred to as “diabetogens” or “obesogens,” appear to interfere with metabolic function, making certain individuals far more susceptible to disease than others.
But there’s more.
Dr. Joseph Pizzorno (founder of Bastyr University and board member of the Institute for Functional Medicine) highlights a crucial, often overlooked factor: environmental toxins combined with declining nutrient density in food.
· Modern agriculture focuses on preserving only the 43 “essential nutrients” needed to prevent deficiency diseases, while thousands of protective compounds (flavonoids, carotenoids, polyphenols) have been stripped from our diets.
· At the same time, we are exposed daily to pesticides, plastics, endocrine disruptors, and heavy metals that damage our metabolism, hormones, and immune system.
The result is a double burden: fewer protective nutrients and more toxic exposures, leading to faster cellular aging and higher risk of disease.
Conclusion
The rise in chronic disease cannot be fully explained by lifestyle choices or genetics alone.
While poor diet and inactivity matter, growing evidence suggests that environmental toxins act as hidden drivers of modern epidemics, tipping the balance toward metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance, and eventually diabetes.
This insight challenges the traditional view of chronic disease and opens the door to a broader perspective—one that looks at toxic burden and nutrient depletion together.
In the next article, we’ll explore exactly how these toxins disrupt our biology and why they may be the missing link in understanding the global rise of chronic illness.
📢 Want to know how toxins might be affecting your health? Book a consultation and we’ll build a personalized strategy for you
References
· Pizzorno J. Environmental Toxins and Chronic Disease. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2018.
· Rappaport SM. “Implications of the exposome for exposure science.” J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2011.
· Lee DH, Porta M, Jacobs DR Jr, Vandenberg LN. Chlorinated persistent organic pollutants, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Endocr Rev. 2014;35(4):557-601. doi:10.1210/er.2013-1084