Plastics can be made from a lot of different chemicals, in fact over 13,000 chemicals have been identified in plastics.
Of those 13,000+ chemicals, only 7000 have been tested for their harmful effects and about half those we know for sure are highly harmful. Yikes!!!
What about the other 6000+?
What about testing the combinations of these chemical cocktails?
What can these chemicals do?
We are still learning about that! Because plastics have only been in use (in large amounts) for 60-70 years, we don't have all the needed research on long-term side effects.
What we do know:
Those harmful chemicals can leach from the plastic and into our food, water and air. They can also be absorbed through the skin in things we touch.
They can cause a very long list of negative side effects.
Cancer - Several plastic chemicals have been linked directly to cancer (BPA is one but not the only one)
Hormone disruption - our hormones do a LOT! So when we interfere with them, or they can't process in our bodies as they were meant to, we start to see things like: infertility, early onset puberty, PCOS, endometriosis, low sperm and testosterone, excess estrogen, weight gain/obesity, insulin sensitivity, increased risk of diabetes, and MANY other hormone issues.
Prenatal issues - like birth defects, low birth weight, early delivery
Developmental problems (in utero or in kids)
Lowered immune and nervous system function
Microplastics are accumulating in our bodies! Researchers have found microplastics in men's testicles, breast milk and meconium.
What should we do about it?
We can't completely avoid plastic. That's not realistic.
I don't think we need to 100% avoid it. But we should be aggressively trying to drastically reduce our exposure to harmful plastic chemicals.
Reducing plastic isn't really that hard. You just have to be mindful about it!
Like:
remembering to take your own grocery bags to the store.
saying no to plastic straws.
getting an e-receipt instead of a BPA lined paper copy.
stop buying plastic water bottles.
Get more ways to swap or reduce PLASTIC by:
listening to this podcast episode.
Reading this blog post.
Bottom line? There really is no safe level of exposure to harmful plastic chemicals. So we have to
Reduce our exposure and use of plastic
Make sure our bodies are healthy enough to detox properly with open drainage pathways
How This Looks in Our Home: (IDEAS)
I have silicone and other food safe snack bags, and I only occasionally use plastic baggies for snacks when we are traveling.
I have ditched all our plastic kitchen utensils, plates and cups.
I use glass, stainless or ceramic food storage. I keep some plastic storage containers on hand, but really try not to use them!
We don't drink out of plastic - no plastic cups or water bottles.
We don't heat anything in plastic!
We refuse plastic straws at restaurants.
We most often use reusable shopping bags.
I try not to touch any receipts!
If I buy frozen vegetables in plastic, I don't cook them in that.
We use real plates, cups and silverware for eating when we are home and when we have guests!
Hope this helps!
Wishing you abundant health - Melisha
Commentaires