The Dangers of Plastic In Your food

When you store food in plastic, buy food in plastic containers, or drink beverages housed in plastic bottles the plastic ultimately ends up inside the food you eat, and the beverages you consume. The migration or movement of these toxic substances is considered OK by FDA standards so long as the migration is within a “acceptable range”, the thing is these substances can be extremely toxic even at very low levels. These toxic substances upon entering your body create free radicals which can destroy cells in your body, ultimately interfering with the endocrine system. These Endocrine disruptor’s or ED’s offset natural hormonal balance within the body leading to an array of adverse health effects.

One of the more well known endocrine disruptor’s is Bisphenol-A or BPA a monomer used in the popular Nalgene water bottles, Lexan brand products, and many baby bottles. The list of negative health effects associated with BPA is quite vast including serving as the leading known cause of miscarriages. Known to produce aneuploidy a chromosomal abnormality which ultimately leads to death of the fetus, BPA is also strongly linked to Alzheimer’s. With only 5% of Alzheimer’s cases demonstrating a genetic link BPA serves as the leading organic cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

The FDA’s Misconceptions

The FDA standards hold that as long as migration of toxins is held to an “acceptable level” the product is deemed safe for us in food and drug administration. Unfortunately migration of plastics into the food we consume can be toxic at even extremely low levels. In many cases an extremely low dose is far more dangerous then an extremely high dose. In fact the belief that a higher dose is more dangerous then a lower dose is simply not the case with many chemicals at all. This belief stems from the 15th century alchemist Paracelsus who stated “The dose makes the poison” this misinterpretation is at the root of FDA policy on the topic, and undoubtedly has done us more harm then good.

Even worse corporations are allowed to conduct their own field testing of migration levels thus creating a conflict of interest. What constitutes an “acceptable level” of migration is also a highly contentious issue within the FDA. With strong evidence from from many of the top researchers in the world suggesting that migration of toxic substances into our food and beverages is a very real reality I strongly suggest you to rid your life of plastics. We now have 6 times as much plastic as there are plankton in the Atlantic ocean which serves as a major food source for animals. Below I’ve compiled three steps you can take to rid yourself and your family of plastic.

What You Can Do To Protect Yourself

  1. Rid your life of plastic bottles. Purchase beverages bottled in glass bottles or aluminum cans. Personally I use a water bottle made from aluminum. It keeps your beverage cooler longer, and is incredibly durable.
  2. Don’t buy food house in plastic containers. Opt for food stored in cardboard boxes, or better yet purchase food that is packaging free.
  3. Transfer your pill or vitamins to a non-plastic container. As pills, and vitamins tends to sit in these containers for incredibly long periods of times the rate of migration can be exponential.

Via: Mindfully.Org

5 Responses to “Pitch That Plastic Water Bottle, It May Save Your Life”

  1. Mike Says:

    I know that plastic is very bad for your health but when it’s unavoidable exposure isn’t it better to have an old container or packaging that already leached some of the chemicals out then a brand new one? Your thoughts please.

  2. Michael Says:

    Thats a tuff question Mike. The sad fact about some of the chemicals found in plastic water bottles is they are potentially more dangerous at low doses then at high doses as cited here:
    http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Plasticizers/Out-Of-Diet-PG5nov03.htm
    To be honest with you I suggest avoiding plastic water bottles as whole. The bottles ultimately end up at the dump which is a lose lose no matter how you look at it. Plus why pay extra when you can get the same stuff out of the tap? My advice is to buy an aluminum water bottle. I have one made my Sigg and I love it! You can pick them up at REI. Anyone else have any ideas or input?

  3. Mike Says:

    Thanks! I get it, plastic bottles is a bad combo (especially because it’s a constant exposure) but what about things like plastic containers like a Tupperware? (i do have most of my containers in glass) the new ones even stink a lot more.

  4. Michael Says:

    Plastic containers are still a bad bet as well. Just as with plastic water bottles harmful chemicals can pass from the plastic container into your food!

  5. James H Grant Says:

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