What about toxins? Environmental toxins are a relatively new phenomenon on the earth, beginning with the industrial revolution. Toxins now quite literally blanket the globe, as pollutants have been detected from the frozen arctic to the depths of the oceans. These toxins take many forms, including heavy metals, pharmaceutical wastes, hydrocarbons, chemical fertilizers, and radiation. It is estimated that people living in the United States consume around 14 pounds of chemicals per year in the form of food additives such as artificial food colorings, flavorings, emulsifiers, humectants and preservatives. Literally millions of tons of pesticides are eventually consumed every year in America, through the fruits and vegetables we eat.