Microplastics, Your Heart, Your Baby, Reducing Exposure, Pod Coffee & More!
When plastics break down over time, they shed tiny particles into our environment called “micro-plastics”.
These particles can make their way inside our bodies.
Microplastics are smaller than 5 millimeters (about the size of a peppercorn) and nanoplastics, which are roughly one five-thousandth that size, can get into drinking water, accumulate in soil and waft along wind whirls.
An analysis of plaque in arteries in 257 patients found that the presence of these microplastics was associated with a roughly quadrupled risk of heart attack, stroke or death.
When it comes to factors that drive heart disease, very, very, very few things have that much of a risk.
A growing number of reports have found microscopic particles of plastic inside many tissues, including the lungs, liver and blood.
A study from 2022 identified plastic in human lungs for the first time. Microplastics are being linked to pulmonary and breathing issues.
Studies have even found plastic in breast milk and infant blood.
Microplastics can even cause changes in DNA! This shouts out loud that plastic can influence human cells that have transgenerational effects beyond today’s comprehension (though I have been writing, warning and shouting about all this for over 2 decades and worked at an environmental estrogen “think-tank” at Tulane that addressed these issues).
Microplastics are sometimes added to personal care products like toothpaste or facial scrubs, where they create an exfoliating or scrubbing effect. Yikes.
Many countries have already banned these so-called micro-beads and some companies have phased them out voluntarily.
If you buy toothpaste from one of the big brands, there is still a good chance, you're scrubbing your teeth with plastic. A 2022 study showed that 50% of sampled toothpastes contained microplastics. Yikes.
Microplastics are in many cosmetics that women put on in the bathroom after a shower when their pores are open and blood is vulnerable.
Plastic is everywhere and enters our body through multiple routes.
Microplastics have been found in the depths of the ocean to nearly the peak of Mount Everest.
In placenta. Our baby’s first womb room! The University of New Mexico in Albuquerque reported that all 62 human placenta samples tested contained microplastics. Unpublished work from this same lab found plastics in the human brain and testicular tissue. And sperm.
Whatever is in the egg, sperm and placenta, is getting into our next generations.
Microplastics are endocrine disruptors.
Hormones and vitamin D rule as they are the ONLY molecules that can speak to genes.
Endocrine disruptors can get in on the conversations with genes… and disrupt them.
Plastics drive inflammation. The epicenter of diverse diseases.
How to get this stuff OUT of us and OUT of our environment?
Reducing exposure is the first step.
Detox daily and throughout the year, also makes sense but we do not yet have microplastic detox studies.
How to get rid of microplastics in your body
Try to have a plastic free life style. Easier said than done.
There are also databases to check products for plastic.
Avoid plastics in your kitchen like Tupperware, bakeware, and plates made of plastic which all release chemicals and microplastics when exposed to food.
Studies show that 93% of bottled water contains microplastic. With every single liter (33 oz) of bottled water we consume 10 particles of microplastic.
If you only choose only one thing to do, get rid of plastic water bottles. Or soda plastic bottles. And cans. Try to focus on glass. But filtering your own beverage, or water, is now looking like the best thing to do, and the most inexpensive thing to to.
Filter your own water from tap water. But darn, most water filters are made of plastic. Yikes.
Detox botanicals will probably be found to help clear out some plastics, such as apigenin, milk thistle, dandelion and chlorella. These are found in my Biotic’s Receptor Detox and Hormone Balance & Protect.
Various liver flushes throughout the year are a good idea.
Shocking studies reveal that plastic sponges and brushes release significant microplastics. These stick to your tableware and later are consumed. Avoid plastic kitchen cleaner materials. Wow wow wow. I immediately threw out my plastic brushed and got into my Lindsey mobile to buy loofah at Whole Foods.
Use natural kitchen brushes, loofah sponges instead which are made without plastics.
Avoid micro-waving in plastic or trays this is the most critical, easiest things to do.
Avoid single-use plastic.
Avoid plastic containers for storing food or beverages.
Avoid canned foods. They are lined with plastics. Buy drinks that come in bottles, not cans or plastic. Topo-Chico is one of my favorites. But a reader shared it is high in forever chemicals. So we gotta filter our own water and mainly drink that.
Try a plastic-free personal care routine. Use Environmental Working Group and the database above to start to get an idea of healthy companies and product alternatives.
Avoid microplastics in shower water too. Filter your shower water.
Use eco-friendly clothing and laundry. Soon we will see filters on our dryers to try to removed microplastics in our clothing. Stay tuned.
Avoid plastic takeout. Go pick up your food in glass containers.
I am very suspicious of these coffee “pods” that are plastic with heated coffee in them. Ugh.
We created our plastic world, only we can change it.
Convenience comes at a huge price. But at least make some changes.
If you have any great ideas, it takes a village, let us know.
Finding microplastics in breastmilk sound a huge warning for us at least to avoid plastic water bottles and filter our drinking and shower waters.
This won’t be easy but we got to start somewhere.
Knowledge is power.
Dr. B.
References:
Microplastics and nanoplastics in atheromas and cardiovascular events. The New England Journal of Medicine. Published online March 7, 2024. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2309822.
Quantitation and identification of microplastics accumulation in human placental specimens using pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Toxicological Sciences. Published online February 17, 2024. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfae021.
Topo Chico was one of my favorites also until I found out it had the highest level of “forever chemicals”.