How are your storing your food? Are you drinking water from plastic bottles? These are simple swaps that will help reduce plastics in the environment and the particles that may entire your body.
One big concern to ourselves and the world around us is the extensive use of plastics. Whilst some changes are being made, there is a long way to go and much damage that has been done is irreversible.
Although France has banned plastic packaging containing Bisphenol A (BPA), the replacement form is still not considered toxic enough to remove from production so BE AWARE! It has not yet been banned in the UK.
https://www.packaginglaw.com/…/what-are-requirements…
https://www.compliancegate.com/bisphenol-a-regulations…/
What is Bisphenol A (BPA)? BPA is added to plastic during manufacturing to increase the material’s toughness and rigidity and to discourage food spoilage. It’s found in plastic toys, food packaging, the lining of canned and cartonbeverages and food, water bottles, dental sealants, and on thermal paper (such as cash register receipts). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibits using BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups, but the chemical remains widespread. BPA and it´s replacements are endocrine disruptors (EDCs). The replacements for BPA are called BPS, BPF, BPE, BPTMC and BPAF and known as “REGRETTABLE SUBSTITUTIONS”
Phillippe Grandjean, a professor of environmental health at Harvard states:
“We have a history of substituting one hazardous chemical with another that may not be any better”
Research by a team at Toulouse University revealed that BPS persists longer in the body and at much higher concentrations than BPA. The scientists involved in the study said their findings suggest that replacing BPA with BPS will likely lead to ‘increased internal exposure to an endocrine-active compound that would be of concern for human health’.
A recent study found associations between the plastics mentioned previously BPA, BPS, and BPF and body mass outcomes among children and adolescents. Those who had greater levels of BPS and BPF in their urine were more likely to be obese compared to children with lower levels.
Plastic packaging may contain as many as 15 known EDCs some of which leach into your food. BPA levels spike in your urine after consuming canned foods or drinks both of which have plastic linings. Plastic water bottles, cutlery, food storage containers, etc., may all be a source of toxins in your diet. And while some manufacturers have begun advertising “BPA-free” plastics, this does not mean the products are safe. Instead, watch out for those similar chemicals, like BPS and BPF, also EDCs.
All bisphenol passes into the liver then into bile and out through your intestines or urine.
For the phase 1 part of detoxification certain enzymes help convert the bisphenol into another toxic element that is a little easier to pass through the system.
For phase 2 you are reliant upon a well-functioning liver pathways OR excellent levels of GLUTATHIONE to excrete the end product.
How to help:
- Support the liver; eat quality foods high in glutathione
- Include as many fresh plant foods rich in natural antioxidants as you can.
- Ensure you are pooping daily (this means plenty of fibre from plant foods)
- Drink plenty of filtered water (with ginger/lemon is great)
- Avoid alcohol.
Extra Research BLURB released Feb 22 2022 Antioxidants 2022, 11(2), 413; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11020413
Heating plastics in the microwave, or placing hot foods in them, can dramatically increase the amount of chemicals that leach into your foods (same as heat on water bottles). Similarly, oily and acidic foods (any kind of fat, tomatoes, vinegar based foods) can also increase migration, so avoid putting oily foods like soups into plastics.
Heat causes the “bisphenol” to leach into food or water. Use glass or stainless steel for water to prevent absorbing these oestrogenic particles.
Storing fatty or acidic food (such as tomatoes) in plastic will increase the migration of chemicals out of plastics into food:
Have you ever had a plastic food storage container that was stained orange after containing something made with tomato sauce? Usually these oily, acidic foods are added to storage containers when they are hot. You may notice the container is permanently stained orange. This also means that there are plastic molecules in your sauce.
Try to avoid prepackaged food during the programme (and beyond) as these often come in containers made with obesogens and consider how you store your food. Keep those glass jars and reuse them to store other items.
What steps have you made at home to reduce plastics? OR what changes may you now make?
