Plastic delivers bad news all over. If you’ve been following the blogs this month you’ve read about the microplastics, the damage to the oceans, as well as to our food and water. Now it’s time to talk about the effects on our brains.
Many researchers believe that the lower testosterone levels in teenage boys, more kids suffering with ADHD symptoms, increased rates of depression, and girls developing so much earlier are a result of the plastics in our lives. Herbicides and pesticides play their part too but today we’re talking about plastic.
BPA (bisphenol A) releases estrogenic chemicals that are endocrine disrupters. Awareness has been growing over the last 20 years about the adverse effects in humans and wildlife. Endocrine system interferences can look like:
- Developmental malformations
- Reproduction issues
- Higher risks for cancer
- Disruption of the immune and nervous system functions
A few things to look into and consider when going plastic free:
In January 2011, the Brain Development journal claimed that prenatal and lactational exposure to low-doses of BPA alters adult behavior. The April 2011 journal of Current Opinion Pediatrics found that there was a relationship between prenatal BPA exposure and increased hyperactivity and aggression in 2-year-old female children. Lastly, the March 2011 Reproductive Biomed Online edition found that BPA effects reproductive health by interfering with the process of implantation of endometrial stomal fibroblasts.
There really has been a lot of money invested in studies that show over and over that plastic is hurting us starting very early on. Baby products like formula, bottles, and pacifiers are made from or are contained in cans lined with BPA. But it’s not just in the baby gear. Juice boxes/bottles, water bottles, other canned foods can be lined with BPA as well. Unfortunately, there is so much conflicting information out there. Some research shows that all plastic has BPA in it, even those that claim to be BPA free.
So, what can we do? We can go plastic free as much as possible! Try these tips:
- NO plastic water or juice bottles. We have no clue how long those have been in transit or storage and the temperature causes the plastic to leech the harmful chemicals into the liquid.
- NO Tupperware. Storing hot food in those plastic containers does the same things as the heated water bottles.
- Eat less packaged/processed foods.
I care about you and your little ones. I’m passionate about looking at the effects of food, drinks, thoughts, and actions on your overall wellness. If you’d like help getting to the bottom of your health mysteries schedule a call and let me show you.
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