How To Avoid Ingesting & Absorbing Microplastics: a No-Nonsense Guide to Protecting Your Heath and Wellness
Microplastics are everywhere – in our water, our food, our air, and unfortunately, even within the small confines of our body.
Studies have found microplastics truly everywhere, and its terrifying – in human blood, lung tissue, and even placentas and breast milk, if that wasn’t bad enough. And while it is true that we do not yet fully understand the long term implications (since it hasn’t even existed for long enough, (that’s how quickly humanity has poisoned itself) we do know that plastic exposure is linked to a myriad of things, including hormone disruption, endocrine disruption inflammation, potential toxicity, and more nasties I could continue to name for the entire length of this post.
This begs the question; if plastic is everywhere, is everything, what can we even do?
The answer is, actually, a lot.
While avoiding microplastics entirely is irritatingly impossible in our current world state, you can drastically reduce how much you absorb and ingest with a few smart changes every day. You don’t need to upend your life, just a few key areas of it.
Here is your ultimate guide to minimizing microplastic exposure.
1. Filter Your Water – Yes, Even Tap Water.
Studies show that bottled water contains nearly twice the amount of microplastics as tap water. But even tap water isn’t safe, even if you live on a well like my mother, or in a town with some of the cleanest water in the US, like myself. Plastic pipes, water treatment plants, and airborne or soil contamination are all contributors to this microplastic crisis. Sorry for the bad news, mom.
What you are going to want to do is invest in a high quality water filter. This is probably the most expensive change to your day to day, but it saves you money (and health complications) down the road.
Look for ones that remove microplastics, like reverse osmosis filters or active carbon filters. I did a ton of research on the best options and the one I use now is Santevia’s Glass Water Filtration System, with remineralizing rocks that last years to make sure you still get all the necessary nutrients that get stripped during certain filtering processes.
Avoid bottled water (ironically one of the worst offenders) and cheap plastic-filter pitchers that can shed microplastics everywhere. Looking at you, Brita.
2. Rethink your food storage & cooking methods
Plastics leech harmful chemicals like BPA, phthalates, and microplastic particles when they’re heated or scratched, and the harmful effects of teflon coating alone deserve their own blog post. Studies have found significant plastic contamination in food stored in pastic containers and cooked in non-stick plans.
I know, its always the pretty kitchens that do you the dirtiest. But its true.
Here is what you can do. Store your food in glass or stainless steel containers – I use mason jars or repurposed food jars whenever I can fit something in them. That spaghetti sauce can? strip the label and reuse it, don’t throw away good glass.
Plus, this let’s you buy your pantry staples from bulk stores, and that saves you money.
Use wooden or metal cooking utensils instead of plastic, though wood requires a little additional care, and switch to cast iron or stainless steel cookware that doesn’t leech toxins in to your food every time you switch on the burner. Ceramic is also a safe option.
Avoid heating food in plastic containers(yes, even “microwave-safe” ones can “plasticify” your food. Is nothing sacred? The answer is no.
3. Choose Natural Fabrics, Avoid Synthetic Clothing
Every time you wash polyester, nylon, or acrylic fabrics (which are also endocrine disruptors) they shed hundreds of thousands of plastic microfibers in the water system. These little microfibers travel all over – ending up in our oceans, our air, and ultimately, our bodies, shimmying their way into each and every organ, including your brain.
It hurts my heart a little bit every time I see a gorgeous sweater in a thrift store, only to peek at the tag and see a horror story.
To avoid all of the above, choose clothing and household fibers made from organic cotton, wool, hemp, or linen. These fabrics are better for your body and the environment, plus, they’re extremely cute.
I love the brand Made Trade – they focus on sustainable, healthy fabrics, everything from clothing to rugs to bedsheets.
Avoid fast fashion brands if you can (they can be tempting), as they rely on synthetic cheap materials – polyester blends being some of the worst criminals of the lot.
4. Be Mindful of seafood and salt intake
As an avid sushi lover, this one hurts my heart. Seafood, particularly shellfish, can be highly contaminated with microplastics, since marine animals ingest them directly from the ocean. Our ocean water is rapidly rising in plastic content even now, as you read this, and plastic trash has been found in the deepest, furthest reaches of the seas, greeting us on our maiden voyages like toxic flags, the emblems of mega-brands marking their territory.
Table salt too, is another surprising source, with many brands containing plastic particles from polluted seawater.
Choose wild-caught fish from cleaner waters if you can, such as those from the North Atlantic, Alaskan, and Nordic regions, which have lower pollution levels compared to heavily industrialized fishing areas.
Look for certain certifications like Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or Wild Alaskan Certified to ensure sustainable and cleaner sourcing. Unfortunately at this point, there is no ocean left in the world untouched, but these will help you get the best options available.
Use Himalayan salt instead of sea salt, though I will be honest with you, This is one I find hard, as I am an avid consumer of Celtic Sea Salt. I;ve opted to go back and forth between the two, since Celtic sea salt contains a very high concentration of trace minerals that we are devoid of in most of our day to day life.
Avoid farmed fish, which are often raised in contaminated water and fed processed fish meal that can contain microplastics. Also avoid cheap, processed sea salt that is more likely to contain plastic particles.
5. Skip Tea bags & Plastic Coated Coffee Cups
Shocking but true, and a well known fact amongst herbalists – microplastics are present in most tea bags – and when steeped in boiling water, they ooze billions of plastic particles into your drink. Similarly, disposable coffee cops are lined with polyethylene plastic, which degrades with heat, slipping into your morning cup of joe.
Use loose leaf tea, which you can buy in bulk from a couple high quality, ethical and sustainable retailers, such as Mountain Rose Herbs or Frontier Co-Op. Instead of bags, opt for a stainless steel infuser, or teapots with infusers built into them.
Bring your own reusable container to coffee shops, or invest in a good stainless steel travel mug. Avoid fancy pyramid-style tea bags, and single-use coffee cups.
6. Be wary of processed and packaged foods
Possibly the most obvious on our list, microplastics aren’t just in the packaging here – they are in the very food itself. A 2021 study found that highly processed foods contain significantly more microplastics than whole, unprocessed foods. This means those tv dinners and ready made means aren’t nearly as “nutritious” as their advertising might suggest.
Buy whole foods from local, community-serving sources if you can.
Not every town has a farmers market as expansive as mine, but if I could make it work when I lived in Phoenix, Arizona, you can make it work anywhere. Even little purchases make a difference, and I don’t expect you to do 100% of your shopping at the 6-stand Saturday market.
Store these goods in glass jars instead of plastic packaging, and bring linen totes for shopping. Avoid processed, pre-packaged snacks and microwavable meals.
Final Thoughts: Small Changes, Big Impact
As stated, avoiding microplastics in their entirety is a woefully impossible undertaking. However, that doesn’t mean we should give in to our polyester and polyethylene overlords – rather, it means every small change you make counts in massive ways. Adjustments add up over time, reducing your exposure and protecting your long-term health.
By choosing natural materials, filtering your water, and being conscious of food sources, you are taking contril of what goes into your body, and the bodies of your loved ones. That is powerful.
Any other tips for managing microplastic exposure? Drop them in the comments! ~
