09/11/2025
Plastic: its everywhere! It is having a devastating effect on our health. The average American consumption of microplastics is equal to a credit card size of microplastics each week!
Microplastics are affecting just about every system of the body as listed in the image below. I'm focusing on the effects on the heart and brain today.
Research is indicating the following effects of microplastics on brain health:
Neuroinflammation and Cell Damage:
Microplastics can cause the brain's immune cells (microglia) to swell and become inflamed, leading to nerve cell damage.
Neurotransmitter Disruption:
They can reduce the levels of important brain chemicals, such as acetylcholine (important for memory) and glutamate, potentially affecting brain function.
Structural and Functional Changes:
Studies suggest microplastics can change brain structure, alter how genes are expressed, and interfere with the connections between neurons.
Blood Flow Obstruction:
The presence of microplastics can block blood flow in small brain vessels, which could lead to neurological problems.
Increased Risk of Dementia:
Microplastics have been found in the brains of people with dementia, though it's unclear if they contribute to the disease or accumulate more easily in damaged brains.
How Microplastics Enter the Brain
Blood-Brain Barrier:
Microplastics are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier, allowing them to reach and accumulate in brain tissue.
The heart and the circulatory system are also impacted by microplastics.
Environmental microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by accumulating in human arterial plaques, triggering inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress, and potentially affecting blood clot formation.
To "detox" microplastics, support your body's natural detoxification systems by increasing fiber intake, staying hydrated, and consuming liver-supporting foods like cruciferous vegetables, garlic, and berries. Other strategies include regular exercise and sauna use to promote elimination through sweat and using activated charcoal or bentonite clay to help bind and remove toxins from the gut.
Plastics can also carry harmful environmental toxins and bacteria into the brain and body. Buy natural fiber clothes, many stain resistant clothes are made from recycled plastics. You can support your body (and the environment) by prioritizing natural fibers, like organic cotton, silk, alpaca, or wool.
Don’t eat from plastic containers, especially those that go in the microwave.
Don’t use plastic wrap, opt for beeswax wraps or a reusable dish towel to cover bowls and glass containers. Many tea companies are using plastic tea bags: empty the tea leaves into a tea diffuser instead of using the plastic bag that is leeching microplastics into the hot water. I often wonder the microplastic contamination for those folks who stop to buy their cup of Joe each morning and consume coffee throughout the day from plastic lined containers.
Whole foods typically include less packaging in general. But when you have the option to choose, support businesses that use plastic-free packaging.
Filter your water. Preferably with a glass or stainless-steel filtration system.
Drink from a glass or metal water bottle. Whenever possible, avoid plastic water bottles, which have shown extremely high levels of microplastics and nanoplastics.
To "detox" microplastics, support your body's natural detoxification systems by increasing fiber intake, staying hydrated, and consuming liver-supporting foods like cruciferous vegetables, garlic, and berries. Other strategies include regular exercise and sauna use to promote elimination through sweat and using activated charcoal or bentonite clay to help bind and remove toxins from the gut. Click on each image for full view.
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