You might have heard about plastic pollution. You know plastic bottles in the gutter and such. But do you know the plastics you cannot see with the naked eye are worse for you. These are very small plastic particles that are everywhere even in your body and brain. Some are so small they even attach to your DNA. Not good. They say the some people have enough plastic in their brains to make a spoon so 7 grams.
On the plus side your body does eliminate plastic but you should keep the exposure as low as possible. How can you do this?
Do not drink from plastic water bottles when possible. Plastic leaches from the disposable water bottles, soda pop, juice bottles and sports drink bottles and beer bottles, liqour bottles. Avoid if possible. Researchers say switching from plastic water bottle to tap could reduce your exposure by 90 percent. That’s a lot!
Levels were also three to five times higher in individuals with documented dementia diagnoses, US researchers discovered. Memory care is super expensive. You don’t want to go there. So besides mercury now we have plastic. Ugh.
The reality is that plastic sheds particles all the time. Here’s how to reduce exposure.
- Use a refillable glass or metal water bottle. There is less plastic waste this way. I use a glass one from Lifeworks at the office but others work too. BPA free plastic doesn’t mean plastic free.
- Buy glass bottles or aluminum cans for soda, beer, sports drinks as they don’t leach and will get recycled. Metal is easy to recycle.
- Buy glass bottle liqour. That cheap plastic bottle stuff tastes worse as the plastic is leaching into the vodka or cheap gin. Ever wondered why the same exact cheap vodka or gin tastes worse in plastic bottles and gives you a worse hangover? Yeah plastic is why. Alcohol is a solvent. Leave the plastic booze for bums.
- Don’t heat plastic food containers, especially the cheap takeout /takeaway ones. That is the worst exposure. Put the food on a ceramic plate or get glass storage containers to bring to the office. The heat in a microwave releases the plastic.
- Avoid plastic utensils especially with hot food. Use metal utensils instead.
- If your grocery store gives plastic bags say no. Use paper or bring your own.
- Recycle what plastic you get stuff in. It should be recycled or burned so it doesn’t end up in the environment.
- Don’t use plastic cutting boards or non-stick pans. They shed the particles. Use wooden cutting boards and metal pans like the alclad type.
- Don’t wear synthetic fibers. Wear natural ones like cotton, linen and wool.
- Don’t use plastic tea bags. Use the paper ones or a reusable metal mesh one.
- It is hard to eliminate plastic exposure but you can surely reduce it. The key is to reduce what you ingest.
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Mr. Cash Hoarder 