"I got a strange disease, and it was caused by where I lived..."

Earlier, a Tonga submarine volcano erupted violently, with media reports saying that the force was comparable to 1,000 atomic bombs, and secondary natural disasters such as tsunamis, volcanic ash, and extreme weather may follow. Geological disasters highlight the relationship between man and nature, and the impact of the geological environment on human health has also attracted attention.

The crater looks like a steaming round pot. Source: Xinhua Daily Telegraph

As modern medical research becomes more in-depth and its branches increase, many categories of human and natural factors related to health have been derived, such as geological medicine, geographical medicine, and meteorological medicine.

As the saying goes, local water and soil nourish local people. This saying has scientific basis. In a broad sense, it refers to the relationship between man and nature, and in a narrow sense, it refers to the condition of people living under certain geological and drinking water conditions. Local water and soil nourish local health, but also "nourish" local diseases.

Human beings are the product of the history of the development of the earth's material. The content of more than 60 elements in the human body is significantly correlated with the distribution of these elements in the earth's crust and seawater. The correlation curves of the average content of elements in human blood and in the earth's crust rocks are similar and resonate with the same amplitude.

Organisms and their environment develop under conditions of mutual adaptation, so these elements in organisms and the environment can maintain a dynamic balance. However, due to natural or man-made reasons, there may be regional differences in the geochemical conditions of the earth, such as the uneven distribution of elements on the surface of the earth's crust. Such regional differences, to a certain extent, affect and control the development of humans, animals and plants, resulting in regional differences in biological ecology. If these regional differences exceed the scope of human adaptation, they may cause various "endemic diseases", or so-called "geochemical diseases".

Image source: pixabay

The abnormalities caused by the geochemical composition affect the human body through drinking water, vegetables, grains and other diets. Therefore, to a certain extent, geology determines physical constitution. For example, the amount of selenium, iodine, fluorine, arsenic and other elements contained in geological soil will affect human health.

The soil in Chengmai County, Hainan Province is rich in selenium and other trace elements necessary for the human body, and has been awarded the title of "World Longevity Hometown" by the United Nations Institute on Aging and the International Expert Committee on Population Aging and Longevity. However, in a transition zone from northeast to southwest my country, 309 counties in 15 provinces and autonomous regions, including Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Shandong, Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet, Guizhou, and Hubei, are low in selenium.

Vegetable farmers working in the vegetable fields in Jiashan Village, Yongfa Town, Chengmai County, Hainan Province. Source: Xinhua News Agency

The deficiency or imbalance of various trace elements essential to the human body, such as selenium, works synergistically with other biological factors to interfere with or destroy human myocardial metabolism, causing myocardial damage, leading to endemic cardiomyopathy and nonspecific heart disease.

Since endemic cardiomyopathy was found in Keshan County, Heilongjiang Province, my country, it is called Keshan disease. According to field survey data in epidemic areas, there is a regular relationship between the distribution of Keshan disease and geological factors such as landform, lithology, soil, groundwater, etc., that is, the areas where the disease occurs are mostly located in typical geological erosion areas, while the adjacent disease-free areas are mostly located in geological accumulation areas. This difference in geological conditions is reflected in drinking water. The total amount of ions in drinking water in the diseased areas is low due to the strong loss of soluble elements on the surface, mainly calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur and other ions. In the disease-free areas, the total amount of ions in drinking water increases due to the enrichment of soluble elements on the surface.

Keshan disease

Iodized salt in the geological soil of inland plateaus and mountainous villages in southwest, northwest, and north my country is washed away, resulting in insufficient iodine in drinking water and food, which hinders the synthesis of thyroid hormones and leads to compensatory goiter. Simple goiter caused by this factor is common in mountainous areas, such as the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, so it is also called endemic goiter. In areas where endemic goiter is prevalent, cretinism may occur if iodine deficiency is severe. However, iodine deficiency is not necessarily the only cause of endemic goiter. In some areas, endemic goiter is also caused by excessive iodine intake, which inhibits the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones.

Fluorine is an element that is widely distributed in the earth's crust, but its distribution varies greatly from region to region. In arid inland basins and salinized coastal areas, the fluorine content in soil, water and crops may be high. People in northern, southwestern and northwestern my country have endemic fluorosis characterized by mottled enamel and skeletal fluorosis due to long-term excessive intake of fluorine. A proper amount of fluorine can replace the hydroxyl radical of hydroxyapatite in tooth enamel to form fluorapatite, which is a basic component of teeth. It can make teeth smooth, hard, acid-resistant and wear-resistant, has an acid-resistant effect, inhibits lactobacilli in the mouth, and reduces the acidity produced by the decomposition of carbohydrates, thereby preventing tooth decay.

Endemic Fluorosis

Geochemical factors are closely related to the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular diseases. Research data show that the distribution of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in certain areas is related to the type of stratum structure. Excessive or insufficient supply of calcium, magnesium and other trace elements can have adverse effects on the physiological functions of the cardiovascular system. Chromium cannot be detected in the aorta of people who died of coronary heart disease. Cadmium can cause arteriosclerosis, etc.

Arsenic in the earth's crust is mostly associated with galena, sulfide ore, sphalerite, etc. Due to various reasons, the local arsenic content in some areas is high, reaching a level that causes chronic arsenic poisoning, which manifests as endemic arsenic poisoning known as "blackfoot disease."

Image source: pixabay

The environment is an extremely complex and dialectical natural complex, and all organisms must adapt to the environment to survive. However, human beings have limited adaptability. When harmful environments act on the human body for a long time or exceed a certain limit, it will cause disease or even death.

● Do not live in a place where the soil contains harmful elements. Harmful substances in the soil can enter the human body indirectly through water, air, etc., and make people sick.

● Do not live in a damp or smelly place, otherwise it will lead to arthritis, rheumatic heart disease, skin diseases, etc. A damp and rotten place is a natural breeding ground for bacteria and the source of various diseases.

● Do not live in places with underground rivers, double-layer intersecting rivers, pits, faults, or complex geological structures. They may emit long vibration waves or contaminated radiation or particle flows, and people will be affected by harmful waves, causing headaches, dizziness, endocrine disorders, and even tumors.

● Do not live in areas with mineral deposits. Prevent special elements from directly harming people, and mining from causing pollution to the air, water, land, etc., which can indirectly harm people.

Source: Popular Science Times

Author: Yang Shi, Associate Researcher, Center for Comparative Medicine, Peking Union Medical College

Editor: Mao Mengnan

Review: Wang Fei

Final judge: Chen Lei