August 8, 2025 • 44 mins
Did you know the average person may be ingesting a credit card’s worth of plastic every single week? Microplastics and nanoplastics are everywhere—from the deepest ocean trenches to the highest mountain peaks. But they’re not just polluting our planet—they’re infiltrating our bodies and quietly wreaking havoc on our health.
In this episode of Wellness Connection MD, Dr. McMinn and Coach Lindsay expose the invisible threat of microplastics and nanoplastics. You’ll discover how these “forever chemicals” enter your body through the food you eat, the water you drink, and even the air you breathe.
Recent research indicates that 100% of humans, including newborns, now carry plastic particles in their bodies. Linked to dementia, heart attacks, strokes, infertility, PCOS, endometriosis, and more, these plastics are not passive bystanders. Some of their effects may even be passed down to future generations.
Beyond our bodies, they’re devastating ecosystems—poisoning rivers, oceans, wildlife, and the very soil we depend on for food. The human cost is staggering, and the financial toll amounts to hundreds of billions of dollars in healthcare and lost productivity each year.
In this podcast, you’ll learn:
- How microplastics infiltrate your food, water, air, and everyday products—often in ways you’d never suspect.
- Cutting-edge research linking plastic exposure to heart disease, gut issues, reproductive problems, and neurodegenerative conditions.
- Why children and future generations face the highest risks.
- Practical steps to reduce microplastic exposure at home, in your community, and through policy advocacy.
- How small, individual actions—multiplied—can spark global change.
The plastics industry and government have long downplayed the dangers—but awareness is the first step toward change. If this episode opens your eyes, share it with friends, family, and your community. Together, we can reduce our plastic use, demand corporate accountability, and protect the only planet we have.
For resources, tips, and ways to get involved, visit McMinnMD.com. Let’s turn knowledge into action—for ourselves, our children, and our one and only Earth.
Stay curious. Stay informed. And remember—small actions can lead to big changes.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello, this is Dr McMinn.
Did you know that you'reprobably ingesting a credit
card's worth of plastic everysingle week?
Tiny particles calledmicroplastics and nanoplastics
are in your food, your water andeven the air that you breathe.
Research shows that 100% ofpeople, including newborns,
carry these forever chemicals intheir bodies, and this includes
you.
These small plastic particleshave been linked to heart
(00:23):
attacks, dementia, infertilityand much more.
Once they're in you, there's noway to get them out, so the key
is prevention.
Globally, health care costs dueto plastics top $1.5 trillion
every year, and plastics arealso devastating our environment
, both on land and especially inour oceans.
The first step to change isawareness, so we'll show you
where these toxins are hiding,how they're damaging your health
(00:44):
and what you can do to protectyourself and your environment.
This beautiful Mother Earththat we live on is our one and
only planet.
It's not like we can trash thisplanet with toxins and then
someday move to pristine planetB.
The time to act is now.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Welcome to the Wellness Connection MD podcast
with Dr McMinn and Coach Lindsay, where we bring you the latest
up-to-date, evidence-basedinformation on a wide variety of
health and wellness topics,along with practical take-home
solutions.
Dr McMinn is an integrated andfunctional MD and Lindsay
Matthews is a registered nurseand IIN-certified health coach.
(01:20):
Together, our goal is to helpyou optimize your health and
wellness in mind, body andspirit.
To see a list of all of ourpodcasts, visit wwwpickmanmdcom
and to stay up to date on thelatest topics, be sure to
subscribe to our podcast on yourfavorite podcast player so that
you'll be notified when futureepisodes come out.
The discussions contained inthese podcasts are for
(01:41):
educational purposes only andare not intended to diagnose or
treat any disease.
Please do not apply any of thisinformation without approval
from your personal doctor.
And now on to the show with DrMcMinn and Coach Lindsey.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Hello and welcome to the Wellness Connection MD
Podcast with Dr McMinn and CoachLindsey, the evidence-based
podcast on all things wellness,where we bring you honest,
commercial-free, unbiased,up-to-date and evidence-based
information, along withpractical solutions in order to
empower you to overcome yourhealthcare challenges and to
optimize your wellness in mind,body and spirit, and to become a
(02:16):
great captain of your ship whenit comes to your health and
wellness.
We thank you so much forjoining us today.
I'm Dr Jim McMinn and I'm herewith our co-host, registered
nurse, extraordinaire andcertified health coach, ms
Lindsay Matthews.
Good morning, coach.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Welcome back listeners.
It's so good to be here and I'mexcited for this topic.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
It's a hard one, but worthwhile.
That's right.
Coach, today we're going totake a deep dive into something
that's literally inside all ofus right now as we speak, and
it's wreaking havoc on ourhealth, and it's a topic of
microplastics and nanoplastics.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Sounds scary and interesting at the same time.
By the end of this episode, wehope that we'll all understand
why microplastics might be oneof the biggest health crises of
our time and what you canactually do about it.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Now, coach, you're way too young to remember this,
but many years ago there was areally good Academy Award
winning movie called theGraduate, with Dustin Hoffman In
the movie.
The character played by Hoffmanwas just graduating from
college and was kind of flappingin the breeze with no really
idea as far as what he wanted todo with his life.
So in one scene at his collegegraduation party, this old rich
codger came up to him and said Ihave only one word of advice
(03:25):
for you quote plastics, endquote, insinuating that the
money was being plastics.
And guess what?
He was right.
Well, dustin Hoffman'scharacter did not follow his
advice, but eventually a lot ofother people did.
Coach, today humans emit morethan 250 billion tons of
chemical substances a year intoour environment and we produce
about 450 metric tons ofplastics worldwide every year.
(03:49):
Coach, it's really hard to wrapmy head around that.
So let's try to visualize that.
You've seen pictures of theGreat Wall of China.
Right, right, huge, right Goesfor 1,300 miles long.
It's real wide.
Well, if you can imagine,that's enough plastic to build
the Great Wall of China, but 25times thicker every single year.
Oh my gosh, that's a lot ofplastic.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Every year.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
The fact is, coach, that we've become totally
dependent on plastics.
It is almost impossible toavoid them in our modern-day
world.
To be fair, not all plastic isbad.
Plastics have revolutionizedhealth care.
Think of sterile syringes, ivbags and heart valves.
Think of sterile syringes, ivbags and heart valves.
But the sheer volume ofplastics and the lack of
responsible disposal planningwas tipping the balance in the
(04:29):
direction of a looming crisis.
One more thing, coach, beforewe proceed.
For those of you who have beenwith us a while, hopefully you
know by now that we try to beevidence-based, unbiased and we
shoot straight with you.
There are those of you who aregoing to think that this is all
hyperbole.
Probably some folks out therewho think that global warming
doesn't exist and evolution is ahoax, but I just want folks to
(04:50):
know that we're trying to tellit like it is and to wake folks
up to a very serious issue thatwe have swept under the rug.
I recently read a list of thegreatest existential threats to
human life on Earth as we knowit, and this issue of toxins,
including plastics, was numberseven, behind things like
nuclear war, pandemics, globalwarming and such.
So we hope that you'll takethis seriously and hop on board
to spread the word and be a partof the solution.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
So what happens to that plastic?
As it turns out, about half ofthat plastic produced is
single-use only.
So that's your wrappers, yourdrinking straws, plastic bottles
, plastic bags.
We use them one time and thenwe throw them out.
So let's be clear there areeasily some other, more
biodegradable options that wecould be using instead of these
(05:34):
one-time use plastics.
When we throw these things away, where is the away?
About 40% of the plastic endsup in the landfill.
Unfortunately, plastic inlandfills does not biodegrade,
so it just breaks down intosmaller and smaller toxic
particles called microplasticsand nanoplastics, which
(05:56):
contaminate our ecosystem forcenturies or even thousands of
years, and these things justdon't go away.
Specifically, in the US alone,less than 1% of single-use
plastic bags are actuallyrecycled.
Around 19% of plastic waste isincinerated, which releases
greenhouse gases and toxiccompounds into the air, which
(06:17):
then, of course, negativelyimpacts our environment and our
health.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
You know, coach, sadly, over 20% of plastic waste
completely escapes anysemblance of waste management
and ends up as pollution in ourrivers.
Coach, sadly, over 20% ofplastic waste completely escapes
any semblance of wastemanagement and ends up as
pollution in our rivers, oceansand landscapes.
This leads to about 11 millionmetric tons of plastic entering
the oceans each year.
Next time you're driving downthe road, just look around the
roadside and look at all theplastic bottles and trash.
It seems like a lot of folks,coach, just think that Mother
(06:41):
Earth is just their own personaltrash can.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Agreed.
I still remember the day I wasdriving down the road with a
friend and she just opened thewindow and threw something out
and I was shocked.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
I know.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
But she truly didn't.
She thought that's just whatyou did.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Her mama and daddy never taught her to do it,
that's why we have to teach ourchildren better.
Lindsay Right, I see peoplethrowing their cigarette butts
down and I think, hey, this ismy earth too.
I don't want your cigarettebutt.
These are not evil people,coach, no, no.
But we have to change people'smindset, and that's why we're
talking about this, to try tobring awareness to this issue.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Yes, the awareness is that, unfortunately these
plastics in our waterways, theyslowly degrade into
microplastics and then they'refurther broken down into
nanoplastics, so we have thatgetting smaller and smaller idea
and then it contaminates thesoil, the water, the food chains
and this poses risks to bothwildlife especially marine life,
like we talked about in theoceans and then human health at
(07:37):
broad.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Coach, every moment of our lives we're exposed to
thousands of these substances.
Small plastic particles getinto our bodies and cause a
whole host of health problems.
A 2020 study from the journalEnvironmental International
found microplastics in humanstool samples from participants
across eight countries at adetection rate of 100%.
So if you think you're notaffected, then you need to think
(07:59):
again, because no matter whereyou live, you cannot escape them
.
These plastics are coming foryou, coach.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
And your poop's talking about it, that's right,
the poop doesn't lie.
That's right.
So these invisible particles,they're in our blood, they're in
our lungs, our reproductiveorgans, our brains and just
about every other organ system.
You'll even find plastics inbreast milk, placentas and
newborn babies.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Isn't that sad, coach , these little newborn babies
born with plastics.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Yes, and here's the kicker Most people have no idea
what they are or how they'reaffecting our health.
So we're here today to reallyshine some light on this dirty
little secret that the plasticindustry and our government
don't want you to know about,and just as a reminder.
The first step to change isawareness, and that's where
we're at.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
All right, coach, let's break it down for folks.
When you throw that plasticbottle into the river, the
bottles gradually break downinto small particles less than
five millimeters, calledmicroplastics that's smaller
than a grain of rice.
And eventually thosemicroplastics are broken down
into even smaller particles,called nanoplastics, and these
are so tiny you have to have amicroscope to see them.
They're even small enough tobypass our body's natural
(09:09):
filtration system, such as thelining of the lungs and the gut,
and sometimes they can even goright through the skin.
They're super tiny, but they'relarge enough to cause
mechanical damage and to carryalong with them some toxic
compounds.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
So where do they come from?
So we have the obvious answers.
Like plastic bottles, but alsoevery time you wash synthetic
clothing, thousands ofmicrofibers go down the drain
and end up in our water supply.
And guess what?
Your average municipal watersupply is not able to filter out
(09:44):
these nanoplastics, so they getdumped into a creek or we end
up drinking them again.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
And when you drive your car, tiny plastic particles
wear off your tires and becomeairborne.
These airborne nanoplasticshave been increasingly detected
in indoor and outdoor airsamples.
These airborne nanoplasticspose a significant emerging
threat to human health bycausing respiratory inflammation
, systemic oxidative stress,immune dysfunction and
potentially contributing toneurodegenerative processes.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
In fact, the list of sources of plastic exposure.
It could go on and on.
There are so many sources, it'simpossible to list them all.
However, one more surprisingsource I'll just briefly mention
is teabags.
This one shocked me.
It surprised me Steeping asingle teabag can release around
11.6 billion microplastics.
(10:29):
One teabag 11.6 billionmicroplastics and 3.1 billion
nanoplastics into a single cupof tea.
Plastics are everywhere andthey sneak up on you in really
unexpected places.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Yeah, and industrial processes, of course, are a
major cause of plasticcontamination in our environment
.
The result of these plasticsare absolutely everywhere.
Microplastics have been foundin the deepest parts of the
ocean, at the top of MountEverest and in Antarctic ice.
You literally cannot escapethem.
There is no corner of theplanet that is untouched.
A 2019 study documented thatairborne plastic particles can
(11:06):
travel over 100 kilometersthrough the atmosphere.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
It's in our tap water , bottled water, even the
expensive brands.
They're in our food, likeseafood, and they literally fall
from the sky in raindrops.
One study found that we'rebreathing in nanoplastics with
every breath, especially indoors, where concentrations can be
even higher.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
You know, and the scary part, coach, is they get
right inside of us in our bodies.
Some of the smallernanoplastics go right through
our membranes and they spreadthrough every single organ
system.
Think about it we are the firstgeneration in human history to
have plastics literallyintegrated into our bodies, and
the repercussions of that arereally kind of mind-boggling,
coach.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Yes, Scientists estimate that the average person
takes in tens of thousands tohundreds of thousands of these
particles every year.
Some studies suggest that weconsume about a credit card's
worth of plastic on a weeklybasis.
Oh wow, Coach, that's a lot.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
It's hard to imagine.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Incredible.
The main food sources ofplastics are seafood, especially
shellfish and smaller fish, seasalt, meat, dairy products,
root vegetables, fruits, honey,sugar, beer, soft drinks, tap
water, bottled water andprocessed foods.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Oh no, coach, don't tell me I've got to cut out my
beer, all right.
So what's the big deal here?
What does it mean for ourhealth?
Well, the research that isemerging is very deeply
concerning.
Let's start with the systemicinflammation.
Some experts suggested up to80% of all chronic diseases and
deaths worldwide areattributable to
inflammation-related conditions,and a 2020 study from the
(12:45):
Journal of Environmental HealthPerspectives found that all
major inflammatory markers wereconsistently elevated in
patients with increasedmicroplastic exposure.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Let's take a closer look at the number one cause of
death worldwide, which iscardiovascular disease.
So there was a landmark studythat was published in 2024 in
the New England Journal ofMedicine.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Which is the number one journal in the world, right.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
And it looked at patients undergoing carotid
endarterectomy, which issurgical removal of the plaque
buildup in arteries that causesheart attacks and strokes.
They found microplastics andnanoplastics in the arterial
plaques of over 58% of thepatients.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Yeah, they concluded that patients with microplastics
in their arterial plaques hadsignificantly higher risk of
heart attack, stroke and deathfrom all causes.
We're talking about 4.5 timesthe higher risk of heart attack
and about two times higher riskof stroke.
Coach, these are not smallnumbers.
So you know, when youextrapolate that out and look at
all the kajillion people whohave heart attacks, coach,
that's a significant number ofpeople.
(13:48):
In fact, they approximate that16 million heart attacks are
caused each year worldwide byplastic exposure.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
So let's talk about something that affects the
majority of us, and that's ourgut health.
So numerous studies have shownthat microplastics are wreaking
havoc on our gut microbiome.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
And a 2020 study from the journal Environmental
Health Perspectives demonstratedthat microplastics increase
intestinal permeability, whichwe call leaky gut, and this
allows toxic andpro-inflammatory compounds to
enter into our bloodstream.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Another gut effect is that microplastic exposure
altered bile acid metabolism andshort-chain fatty acid
production in the gut, both ofwhich are crucial for gut health
, metabolic health, immunefunction and our brain function
as well.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
So one aspect of health effect of microplastics
is particularly alarming, andthat is the effect on our
reproductive and hormone health.
Microplastics are acting asendocrine disruptors, meaning
that they interfere with ourbody's hormone health.
Microplastics are acting asendocrine disruptors, meaning
that they interfere with ourbody's hormone systems and, as
such, microplastics are sexist,coach.
They pick on women much morethan they pick on men, although,
as we'll discuss, men are nottotally immune from the effects
(14:55):
of microplastics either.
I remember years ago I heard alecture by a Harvard University
board-certified OBGYN who statedthat, quote girls who drink out
of plastic bottles have morePCOS.
Wow, coach, I was really blownaway when I heard that and think
about that for a minute Girlswho drink out of plastic bottles
have more PCOS.
Now, we did a whole show onPCOS, so I won't go back and
(15:18):
through all the detail on that,but just to say, for many women
who have it, it's not a trivialdisease.
And, coach, at least in America, what girl doesn't drink out of
plastic bottles?
They're everywhere.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
And yet, have any of you women or girls out there had
ever had a doctor to advise youto not drink out of plastic
bottles?
I think probably never.
Coach Right.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Agreed.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
I mean Coach, you think about it in your lifetime.
You're 29 now, right?
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Yes, yes, in my 20s, yes, so, in all these many years
.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Has a doctor ever told you to avoid plastics?
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Other than the one I'm sitting across the counter,
from who gifted me water bottles.
Yeah, yeah, no, you're one of akind, yeah okay In the practice
.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
we used to actually give out water bottles healthy
water bottles Glass.
We used to actually give outwater bottles healthy water
bottles glass.
We gave out some aluminumbottles, but we gave them away
as gifts because we wantedpeople to stop using plastic.
It was important to us.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Agreed, yeah, and I appreciate that.
Pcos affects up to 10% of womenof reproductive age and it
causes irregular periods,fertility problems, weight gain,
metabolic issues like diabetesand many more problems.
A 2018 study in environmentalresearch found that women with
(16:32):
PCOS had significantly higherlevels of plastic-associated
chemicals in their blood, likeBPA and phthalates, that
commonly adhere to microplasticsand endometriosis, where the
uterine tissue grows outside theuterus, causing severe pain and
fertility problems.
That's also been linked toexposure to plastic-associated
(16:54):
chemicals.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
For us men, folks, the sperm counts have dropped
significantly.
A 2017 meta-analysis and humanreproductive update documented a
52.4% decline in spermconcentration among Western men
between 1973 and 2011.
Wow, coach, that's a lot.
That's over half of the spermcount.
Microplastics have been founddirectly in sperm samples, and
(17:18):
they've been associated withreduced sperm quality, motility
and concentration.
So, as a result, both men andwomen are experiencing
infertility issues at anunprecedented rate, and
microplastics appear to beplaying a significant role.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Let's talk about something even more concerning
the effects of microplastics onour nervous system.
As we have stated on a previousshow, neurological diseases are
the number one cause of illnesson the planet.
The latest studies show thatmicroplastics can cross the
blood-brain barrier andaccumulate in the brain tissue.
Current research suggests thatmicroplastics contribute to
(17:55):
neuroinflammation andneurodegenerative diseases like
Alzheimer's, parkinson's andother forms of dementia.
Concentrations of nanoplasticswere found up to 10 times higher
in people diagnosed withdementia compared to those
without, and there is adose-dependent relationship
between plastics and dementia.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
It's kind of scary, isn't it, Coach?
Yes, yeah, it is Now.
For you young people, dementiamay not be on your radar, but
for us older folks I mean gosh,it seems like it's everywhere.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Dementia may not be on your radar, but for us older
folks, I mean gosh, it seemslike it's everywhere and I think
that's a number, a huge fearthat people have one day is
losing their mental capacity.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
I think it's the number one fear of older folks
is dementia.
No-transcript in newborns and a2014 study in environmental
(18:58):
health perspectives found thatprenatal BPA exposure, a common
microplastic-associated chemical, was associated with altered
brain structure and behavior inchildren.
The clinical expression of thismay be things like autism, adhd
, emotional dysregulation,anxiety, depression, cognitive
deficits, memory problems andabnormal sensory and motor
(19:18):
reflexes.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
The genetic toxicity evidence for microplastics is
extensive, based on decades ofresearch showing that
microplastics induce DNA strandbreaks and chromosomal
aberrations in human cellcultures.
Other studies have revealedthat microplastic exposure
altered DNA methylation patterns, which cause diseases that can
(19:41):
be inherited and then passed onfrom generation to generation.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Isn't that scary, Coach?
As it turns out, a lot of otherharmful toxins hitchhike on
microplastic particles, Thingslike heavy metals such as
mercury, persistent organicpollutants like BPA and
industrial chemicals.
These are particularlythreatening to the nervous
system.
Studies have found thatplastics can concentrate
persistent organic pollutantsfrom seawater up to a million
times higher than surroundingwater concentrations.
(20:06):
Wow, Coach, a million times.
That's a lot of hitchhiking.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Agreed the chemicals we add to plastics in plastic
production, includingplasticizers, flame retardants,
antioxidants and UV stabilizers,many of which are known
endocrine disruptors orcarcinogens.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Pathogen transport is another emerging concern.
A study from the journal WaterResearch found that
microplastics can serve asvectors for pathogenic bacteria
and viruses, potentiallyfacilitating the spread of
antibiotic-resistant organismsand emerging infectious diseases
.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
So when we give space to microplastics and
nanoplastics, they bring otherbad company too.
So what is this costing us as asociety, besides being sick,
debilitated and dying earlyunnecessarily?
As a society, besides beingsick, debilitated and dying
early unnecessarily?
Early estimates suggest thatplastic pollution could be
costing the US healthcare systemhundreds of billions of dollars
(21:12):
annually, and globally thecosts are staggering, estimated
to be over $600 billion.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Now, coach, let's take a breath here.
$600 billion related to thisproblem, that's huge.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Yes, it is, and that doesn't include hundreds of
billions due to lostproductivity.
And as we learn more about thehealth effects of plastics, then
these cost estimates are boundto go up even further.
We're in a literal scienceexperiment.
We are so, no matter how youslice it, we're looking at a
(21:45):
massive economic burden tosociety from pervasive plastic
pollution.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Yeah, coach, it's really kind of frustrating.
As a society, we don't seem tobe willing to do the right thing
on the front end by regulatingand managing plastics, so we're
paying for it dearly on the backend, both in terms of direct
economic costs and also in painand suffering and disease and
mature death.
So, Coach, I think one reasonwe do value the importance of
this topic is that we rarelylook at medicine from the root
(22:12):
cause point of view.
The science is crystal clearthat plastics cause all these
diseases that we've been talkingabout.
There is no debate about it.
But yet when you go to yourdoctor, does he or she ever
mention it?
No, of course not.
There's a real disconnect here,coach.
We doctors pretend to bescientists, but we are totally
(22:33):
ignoring the inconvenient truthwhen it comes to the science of
plastics and toxins and theireffect on our health.
In medical school they neverteach us about toxins, and this
major issue is completely offthe radar screen.
In clinical practice, we'restill practicing at a what I
call symptom pill level inclinical practice, where you go
to your doctor, they make adiagnosis and they give you a
pill or they do surgery, butthey never really ask the
fundamental question of why thepatient got the disease.
(22:55):
If we did ask that question,then we might be able to help
that patient and many others inthe future and that's really
what functional medicine is allabout, Coach.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Yes, it's a super inconvenient truth.
It would be much preferable tohandle this issue like an
ostrich and stick our heads inthe sand.
It's not just human healthwe're talking about.
Plastics are devastating on ourentire environment and, at the
end of the day, this beautiful,beloved Earth that we live on is
the only planet we get, and sowe need to take care of it.
(23:26):
We just can't disrespect it,trash it and with forever
chemicals and then take ajoyride to the next place where
we can start all over.
We depend on this web of lifefor our own survival and I would
say so far our track record isnot very good, and as a mother
of two little ones, it's a bigconcern for me.
It's huge, it's profound andreally does make me want to
(23:49):
change and be a voice so thatthe world that we're leaving our
children is better than whatwe're describing here.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Bear with me, Coach, a bit for focusing on the
environmental impact, but beforeI went to medicine, I was
actually an environmentalengineer, so I care deeply about
this stuff.
And let's start with the ocean,since they seem to be taking
the major hit from plasticpollution.
Every year, about 14 milliontons of plastic end up in the
ocean.
This is equivalent to a hugegarbage truck dumping a whole
(24:18):
load of plastic into the oceanevery single minute, 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year.
Now this is crazy, Coach.
It almost sounds like sometwisted science fiction story in
a dystopian world, but it's alltoo real.
There's a blob of trash out inthe Pacific Ocean that is so big
it even has a name.
They call it the Great PacificGarbage Patch.
(24:39):
It's a vast soup of plasticdebris up to several meters
thick and covering about 620,000square miles.
It contains almost 130,000metric tons of plastic garbage.
It starts out as larger objectslike nets, bottles and bags,
but then it breaks down intomicroscopic and nanoplastics.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Then the microplastics and the
nanoplastics get into the marineecosystem and have devastating
and wide-reaching effects onmarine life, impacting organisms
from big whales to the smallesttiny plankton.
And when you look at largerplastics like nets, ropes, traps
, all those things made ofplastic, these items kill an
estimated 300,000 whales,dolphins and porpoises annually
through just them physicallybeing entangled with it.
Many other creatures, includingseals, turtles and fish, suffer
injuries, limb loss or deathwhen trapped by plastic debris
(25:36):
and seabirds, turtles and otheranimals can become entangled in
rings, bands or packaging waste,leading to drowning or death in
rings, bands or packaging waste, leading to drowning or death.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Then there's a serious issue of ingestion Many
marine species, such as turtlesand whales, they mistake
plastics for food.
For instance, a turtle consumesa plastic bag that he thought
was a jellyfish, and whales havebeen found to have tens of
kilograms of plastics in theirstomachs, leading to blockages,
starvation and even a painfuldeath.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
When the larger plastics are broken down into
microplastics, these accumulateeverywhere, from surface waters
to the very deepest trenches ofthe ocean, and these plastics
are now found in every level ofthe marine food web.
Microplastics also act ascarriers, like we've said before
, for other toxic chemicalswhich can then further poison
(26:26):
animals or disrupt theirmetabolism and reproduction.
The presence of microplasticsin plankton and other base-level
organisms threatens the entireecosystem by disrupting nutrient
cycling and photosynthesisprocesses, which are critical
for ocean health and oxygenproduction.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Now Coach.
Microplastics are alsodisrupting the ocean's ability
to absorb carbon dioxide.
The ocean is one of theplanet's major carbon sinks,
helping to mitigate climatechange, but microplastics are
interfering with this process,thereby contributing to global
warming.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
So, in summary, when it comes to our oceans, plastic
pollution is driving a silent,ongoing tragedy, threatening
biodiversity, disrupting theecosystems and directly harming
the health and survival ofcountless marine species and
ultimately affecting humanhealth.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
The effect on land is not much better.
Coach Plastics accumulate interrestrial environments,
sometimes even higherconcentrations than in marine
systems.
They alter soil structure,affecting agricultural
productivity.
Nanoplastics, along with theiradhered toxins, are absorbed
right through the plant rootsand accumulate in plant tissues,
passing up the food chain asthey enter the human consumers.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Plastics also affect the health of bee colonies and
one might ask, why should I careabout bees?
As it turns out, those littlebees are critical for global
food production, since we counton the bees to pollinate our
crops, and plastic pollution isconsidered a major driver of
terrestrial biodiversity declineand ecosystem degradation
across all land-based habitats.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
You know, Coach, I'm really sorry to hit the
listeners with all this doom andgloom, but we're trying to get
folks to wake up from a slumberon this issue of toxins in our
environment and on this plasticsissue in particular.
If you study this issue, you'llsee that there is a universal
urgent call to arms to dosomething about this looming
crisis, but it seems that almostnobody is listening.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
It's like we're all on a big bus speeding towards a
huge cliff and we notice thatthe bus driver is asleep at the
wheel and nobody has the courageor the willingness to go up
there and grab the wheel or tryto hit the brakes.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
So we're coming at you today on this issue to help
to amplify the alarm bell.
But talk is only beginning.
Now we need to walk the walk asindividuals and as a society,
especially for futuregenerations.
So what can we do to move theneedle in the right direction?
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Let's start at the individual level you and me and
let's get practical.
The first thing that we can dois reduce single-use plastics.
Every piece of plastic that youdon't use is plastic that won't
eventually become microplasticpollution.
For instance, keep some clothbags in the car and when you go
grocery shopping, use thoseinstead of the one-time-use
(29:03):
plastic or paper bags.
And when you go groceryshopping, use those instead of
the one-time-use plastic orpaper bags.
Other single-use products likestraws, stirrers, ziploc bags,
plates, bowls, cutlery cups,lids, containers, trays,
packaging, wet wipes, sanitaryitems, q-tips, balloons, cling
wrap, plastic gloves, laundrydetergent pods, detergent and
shampoo bottles, disposablemedical waste and, of course,
(29:24):
the big one, plastic bottles.
Let's just try to be moremindful that there's a lot of
really great alternatives outhere and we can do our best to
just start limiting what we areconsuming.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
All right, coach, I'm looking across the table and I
see you bought this beautifulwater bottle right?
So tell me about that.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Yes, this is just my nice metal water bottle.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
Right.
And so you could have had aplastic bottle, which would have
not only been bad for theenvironment but bad for you,
Right?
And so you made a wise choice.
So what I'm getting at is, withevery single one of those
things that Lindsay mentioned,you can make wise choices Right
and it matters.
So I encourage you all to kindof put on your thinking caps and
think how can I make adifference there?
Speaker 2 (30:11):
So like, for instance , when you go out to dinner and
the waiter brings you a straw,say no, thank you.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Well, unless you want a straw.
But for me I just soon drinkout of the glass, and so I say
no, thank you Now.
If you don't say it right away,they won't take them back,
Right.
So you have to right away.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
Before they put it on the table.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
Yeah, and if you've got to get takeout you can
refuse the plastic cutleryunless you need it.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
Sometimes you can carry your own reusable set if
needed.
Absolutely so.
Use those refillable waterbottles for our beverages rather
than buying the plastics andthen for food storage.
Switch from plastic wrap anddisposable sandwich bags to
there's beeswax wraps orsilicone bags or glass
containers, and use those tostore your food.
Also, look for products withlittle or no plastic packaging.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
Choose natural fibers over synthetic clothing when
possible and use quality itemsdesigned to last and consider
air drying synthetic clothes.
Also consider buying some ofyour clothing at a thrift store
or vintage store or some othersort of clothing exchange to
increase the lifespan of theclothing and to keep it out of
landfills.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
I love a good consignment sale.
Dr Mack, I'm actually wearingthrifted attire today, so it
goes well with our podcast.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Yeah, it's one of my favorite shirts I've bought at
those kind of places.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
Yes, they're already soft, they're worn in.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
I think my daughters actually have I don't know what
you call.
Them buy clothes on these kindof clothing exchanges.
Do you know about those?
Speaker 3 (31:33):
I've used some websites that sell or people are
selling their clothes.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
That they're done with yeah, yeah, yeah, it's
pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Yeah, also, we can maintain or repair and reuse
plastic items rather than justthrowing them away.
We can also donate or sellunwanted but still usable
plastic products rather thanfilling up our landfills, and
we're going to list some ofthese resources for you as well.
On mcminnmdcom, we'll list abunch of options for swapping,
(32:04):
donating or repairing plastics,and so go check that out,
listeners.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Yeah, there really are a lot of options there, so
we'll have a good list there foryou.
But to also use plastic-freepersonal care products, opt for
bar soaps.
I used to get the soaps in thelittle plastic.
Now I always get bar soapswrapped in paper.
The soap itself is biodegradable.
The paper is biodegradableShampoo bars, toothpaste tablets
, bamboo toothbrushes instead ofplastic package products and
(32:35):
support brands who use glass,paper or biodegradable materials
.
There's some stores out therecalled zero waste shops where
you can get all sorts of bulkproducts, from foods to personal
care products.
All you do is bring your owncontainer and fill it up no
waste and they're out there.
You just have to kind of lookfor them.
They're only a Google searchaway.
There are also manyopportunities to give away,
share, recycle, fix and reuseplastic products, like
Freecycleorg orBuyNothingProjectorg.
(32:57):
I'll have a bunch of theselisted for you in the references
and resources page onmcminnumcom.
Also participate in cleanups.
Help pick up litter in yourcommunity parks, beaches, rivers
and streams.
Whenever Dr Cheryl and I gocanoeing, we take a big bag with
us, and we almost always comeback with a bag full of plastic
waste.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
And that's a fun activity even for kids to do.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
You know, they can find that to be really rewarding
yeah well, like we're cruisingalong in the canoe and we'll see
like a bottle floating overthere and we'll go over and get
it and put it in the bag and wecome the bag's almost full when
we come back.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
Yeah, and that's, and you're out enjoying nature and
you're able to just do that atthe same time because you can
create this as a lifestyle.
Individual action is good, butit's also not enough.
For such a huge, urgent,looming crisis as this, though,
we also need to be advocateswith.
We need governmental change andbusiness changes in our
(33:50):
communities as well, so here aresome things that we can do
collectively.
We got to advocate for andsupport laws that reduce
single-use plastics, improvewaste management and hold
producers responsible forplastic pollution.
We can call and write ourlegislators about this issue,
(34:10):
and we can also support and votefor people locally and state
and federal levels who will beenvironmentally aware and
responsible.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
You know Coach policy matters.
One study found that plasticbag bans reduce plastic bag
litter by over 70%.
Another study found thatcoordinated international action
could reduce marine plasticpollution by 80% by 2040.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
That's awesome and historically we have not held
polluters responsible due tocorporate greed and politics.
But unfortunately, we are allpaying for it on the back end
through sickness, death andhumongous health care costs, and
it's only going to get worseand environmental issues as a
(34:55):
red issue or a blue issue.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
I'll vote for anybody who cares about our health and
our environment, but withoutnaming names or parties.
I just got to say that one high,high ranking figure in our
administration currently statedthat biogradable straws are
liberal, so he made his ownbrand of plastic straws with his
name on them and grifted abouta half a million dollars off
this cause, claiming thatplastic forever straws stand for
freedom and defiance.
The same unnamed person hastaken significant steps to roll
(35:18):
back policies related to plasticpollution, which, of course,
was much welcomed by thepolitically influential plastic
industry.
Oh my gosh, coach, we're in fora rough road on this issue, but
we can't give up.
This is just too important.
We've got to keep on keeping onand try to make this a better
world for our children, or else.
So please support candidatesred, blue or purple who care
about our health, our planet andour future generations.
(35:40):
We're supposed to have theright to life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness, and bygolly we should have the right
not to be poisoned every time webreathe air, drink water or eat
food.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
We also need to advocate for better labeling on
products so consumers can makeinformed choices and fund
research into alternatives, andwe need to demand transparency
and accountability fromcorporations.
When a company is doing theright thing and creating
biodegradable plastics or aclosed-loop system, then we need
to support them and use ourdollars to support eco-conscious
(36:15):
brands.
A great example of that isPatagonia, which for many years
has been recognized forenvironmental activism, ethical
supply chains and using recycledand organic materials in all
their apparel.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
So you know, Coach, if I'm trying to buy a new
jacket or something like thatand there's another brand in
Patagoniaotta, I'll buypannacotta, because, once again,
you need to support companieswho are doing the right thing,
right.
Yes, Also, join and supportorganizations that promote
sustainable environment.
There are many of them outthere and I encourage you to
look them up.
However, a couple you might befamiliar with are Sierra Club
and Nature Conservancy.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
Collaborate with nonprofits or grassroots
movements.
You can find out about suchorganizations just by doing an
Internet search fororganizations that support the
reduction in plastic pollution.
Also, share information aboutplastic pollution and practical
reduction tips with friends,family and your community.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
Teach your children about stewardship and simple,
sustainable habits.
After all, they're the ones whoare going to inherit this mess
that we're making.
Support schools integratingenvironmental education and
write reviews or emails tocompanies asking them to reduce
plastics.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
Remember your actions are like a drop in the ocean,
but if we can all get on boardit becomes a tidal wave and we
can make impactful changes.
I'm reminded of the quote don'tdespise the day of small
beginnings here, and that's justthe idea that even the smallest
action, it can ripple, spreadand grow.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
So, coach, let's start to wrap this up with some
tips on how you can protectyourself from the harmful health
effects of microplastics.
Start by understanding yourmain sources of exposure to
plastics, and these includethings like bottled water,
seafood, table salts, fruits,veggies, food packaging, indoor
dust, textiles and clothing, airpollution, personal care
products and plastic plumbingsuch as PVC pipes.
(38:02):
Also, for some, it'soccupational exposures.
So run down this list that Ijust made and think about what
might be affecting you and howyou can make some smart changes
to reduce your exposure and howyou can make some smart changes
to reduce your exposure.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
Filter your water.
Reverse osmosis removes over99% of microplastics, while
activated carbon filters remove70 to 90%.
So if you can't drink filteredwater, then studies have shown
that tap water is generallybetter than bottled water.
When it comes to plastics,Never microwave food or drink in
plastic containers.
Heat increases the release ofplastic particles.
(38:36):
Also, avoid drinking hotbeverages out of styrofoam.
The ingredients in styrofoamare a form of plastic and they
leach into your beverage.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
Now, of course, the big one.
Of course coaches avoiddrinking out of plastic bottles.
A couple years ago, dr Sheryland I were down in Florida
during the heat of the summerand we stopped at this gas
station.
And at the gas station theysold food and drink.
And in order to save space, thefolks who ran the store stored
all of their bottled water outon the front stoop there all day
, day after day, in the hotFlorida sun.
(39:07):
Well, as it turns out, bothheat and sunlight caused the
release of more nanoplasticsfrom the bottle into the water.
So when you drink that bottledwater you never know where that
bottle has been.
Was it stuck on a truck on theside of the road in the hot sun,
or in the sunlight on a hotsummer day, like in the stoop of
that Florida gas station, whoknows?
The bottom line is that whenyou drink bottled water you are
(39:27):
drinking nanoplastics.
There's no way around it, coach.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
You also want to use clean cleaning products and
personal care products.
I always have said on thepodcast and I know you have as
well, dr Whitman that theEnvironmental Working Group is a
wonderful resource.
They give you all the info thatyou need to get non-toxic
personal care products that youneed and overall on the general
environment.
Personal care product choiceshave measurable impacts.
A 2015 study estimated that thephase-out of microbeads in
(39:58):
cosmetics prevented a whopping4,594 tons of microplastics from
entering the environmentannually.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
Wow, that's a lot of tons.
Well, kosha, now let me beclear.
We're not advocating for goingback to a pre-plastic world.
That's just not going to happen.
It's impossible.
The cat is out of the bag, thedye is cast and we have crossed
the Rubicon on that issue.
Also, plastics have enabledtremendous advances in medicine,
technology and quality of life,but instead it's about using
them more wisely, eliminatingunnecessary applications,
(40:27):
developing safer alternativesand managing the plastic waste
responsibly.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
And we've got to be honest about what we don't know.
While the evidence is solidthat microplastics pose serious
health risks, there are stillsignificant research gaps.
But here's the thing we can'twait for perfect information
before we act.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
There is no doubt.
The evidence that we have sofar is clear and compelling and,
to summarize, we've beencranking out staggering amounts
of synthetic plastics now for100 years, with very little
concern for what happens tothese harmful products on the
back end.
Detection rates in humansamples now approach 100%, with
profound effects on our health,the health of future generations
(41:06):
and the health of our planetand overall cost to our society.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
So our message to you today is clear Microplastics
represent a planetary healthemergency that requires
immediate and comprehensiveaction, and the window for that
action, though it's narrowing,plastic production is set to
triple by 2050.
Every year we delaycomprehensive action, the
problem becomes exponentiallyharder to solve and the health
(41:34):
impacts become more severe.
Once those plastics are outinto our environment, in our
food chain and in our bodies,it's too late.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
You can't take them back, Coach, and you know.
The evidence shows thatinterventions do work.
That's the good news.
Some countries are implementingextended producer
responsibility laws makingplastic manufacturers
responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products,
including cleanup.
However, for better or forworse, toxins from one country
affect all countries, so thisneeds to be a worldwide effort.
(42:03):
All of us are working together.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
Fortunately, public awareness is growing around this
issue, with more pressure forchange.
Young people, especially, aredriving demand for sustainable
alternatives for change.
Young people, especially, aredriving demand for sustainable
alternatives.
So my children and futuregenerations will judge us by how
we respond to this today.
This is how we respond to thiscrisis.
Someday, I hope that my kidswill say thanks, mom, for being
(42:26):
an agent of change and saving mefrom those terrible health
problems from toxins.
Or would they say, mom, whydidn't you do more?
Or why did you not?
Why were you quiet about thisissue?
We have the knowledge, thetechnology and the economic
incentives to solve this problem.
So what we need now is theindividual and collective will
(42:46):
to act.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
You know, coach, this actually starts to get personal
, because I mean, people need tounderstand that these poisons
are only released because we, asconsumers, send our dollar
demands to industries that makethings cheaply as possible.
This takes no account of thedamage to human life and health.
We all end up paying forchemical toxicity one way or the
other.
It's a simple choice you pay atthe supermarket, you pay at the
(43:09):
doctor's office, you pay at thehospital or you pay at the
hospice.
If this episode changed how youthink about plastics, then
please share it with others.
Science only matters if itleads to action, and action
starts with awareness.
We need to build a tribe ofpeople who care about our health
and the future of life on thisbeloved Mother Earth that we
live on, which has been so goodto us.
However, right now, coach, Igotta say Mother Earth has
(43:32):
suffered some domestic abusefrom us and she is shedding some
tears.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
That about does it for our discussion of
microplastics?
I hope that we were able toshare something that informed
and inspired you.
Speaker 1 (43:44):
Thank you so much for listening and please do take a
moment to rate us on iTunes.
These reviews really do make adifference for us.
Also, if you like the podcast,then please take a moment today
to let a friend know about itand to help us spread the word
on this evidence-based, holistic, functional and integrated
medicine.
If you'd like to reach out tome to comment on the show or to
make recommendations for futuretopics, you may do so at
(44:04):
drmcminn at yahoocom.
Speaker 3 (44:07):
Until next time, stay curious, stay informed and
remember small actions can leadto big changes.
Speaker 1 (44:15):
This is Dr McMinn signing out.
Speaker 3 (44:17):
And this is Coach Lindsay.
Speaker 1 (44:19):
Take care and be well .
Hello, this is Dr McMinn.
Did you know that you'reprobably ingesting a credit
card's worth of plastic everysingle week?
Tiny particles calledmicroplastics and nanoplastics
are in your food, your water andeven the air that you breathe.
Research shows that 100% ofpeople, including newborns,
carry these forever chemicals intheir bodies, and this includes
you.
These small plastic particleshave been linked to heart
(00:23):
attacks, dementia, infertilityand much more.
Once they're in you, there's noway to get them out, so the key
is prevention.
Globally, health care costs dueto plastics top $1.5 trillion
every year, and plastics arealso devastating our environment
, both on land and especially inour oceans.
The first step to change isawareness, so we'll show you
where these toxins are hiding,how they're damaging your health
(00:44):
and what you can do to protectyourself and your environment.
This beautiful Mother Earththat we live on is our one and
only planet.
It's not like we can trash thisplanet with toxins and then
someday move to pristine planetB.
The time to act is now.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Welcome to the Wellness Connection MD podcast
with Dr McMinn and Coach Lindsay, where we bring you the latest
up-to-date, evidence-basedinformation on a wide variety of
health and wellness topics,along with practical take-home
solutions.
Dr McMinn is an integrated andfunctional MD and Lindsay
Matthews is a registered nurseand IIN-certified health coach.
(01:20):
Together, our goal is to helpyou optimize your health and
wellness in mind, body andspirit.
To see a list of all of ourpodcasts, visit wwwpickmanmdcom
and to stay up to date on thelatest topics, be sure to
subscribe to our podcast on yourfavorite podcast player so that
you'll be notified when futureepisodes come out.
The discussions contained inthese podcasts are for
(01:41):
educational purposes only andare not intended to diagnose or
treat any disease.
Please do not apply any of thisinformation without approval
from your personal doctor.
And now on to the show with DrMcMinn and Coach Lindsey.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Hello and welcome to the Wellness Connection MD
Podcast with Dr McMinn and CoachLindsey, the evidence-based
podcast on all things wellness,where we bring you honest,
commercial-free, unbiased,up-to-date and evidence-based
information, along withpractical solutions in order to
empower you to overcome yourhealthcare challenges and to
optimize your wellness in mind,body and spirit, and to become a
(02:16):
great captain of your ship whenit comes to your health and
wellness.
We thank you so much forjoining us today.
I'm Dr Jim McMinn and I'm herewith our co-host, registered
nurse, extraordinaire andcertified health coach, ms
Lindsay Matthews.
Good morning, coach.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Welcome back listeners.
It's so good to be here and I'mexcited for this topic.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
It's a hard one, but worthwhile.
That's right.
Coach, today we're going totake a deep dive into something
that's literally inside all ofus right now as we speak, and
it's wreaking havoc on ourhealth, and it's a topic of
microplastics and nanoplastics.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Sounds scary and interesting at the same time.
By the end of this episode, wehope that we'll all understand
why microplastics might be oneof the biggest health crises of
our time and what you canactually do about it.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Now, coach, you're way too young to remember this,
but many years ago there was areally good Academy Award
winning movie called theGraduate, with Dustin Hoffman In
the movie.
The character played by Hoffmanwas just graduating from
college and was kind of flappingin the breeze with no really
idea as far as what he wanted todo with his life.
So in one scene at his collegegraduation party, this old rich
codger came up to him and said Ihave only one word of advice
(03:25):
for you quote plastics, endquote, insinuating that the
money was being plastics.
And guess what?
He was right.
Well, dustin Hoffman'scharacter did not follow his
advice, but eventually a lot ofother people did.
Coach, today humans emit morethan 250 billion tons of
chemical substances a year intoour environment and we produce
about 450 metric tons ofplastics worldwide every year.
(03:49):
Coach, it's really hard to wrapmy head around that.
So let's try to visualize that.
You've seen pictures of theGreat Wall of China.
Right, right, huge, right Goesfor 1,300 miles long.
It's real wide.
Well, if you can imagine,that's enough plastic to build
the Great Wall of China, but 25times thicker every single year.
Oh my gosh, that's a lot ofplastic.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Every year.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
The fact is, coach, that we've become totally
dependent on plastics.
It is almost impossible toavoid them in our modern-day
world.
To be fair, not all plastic isbad.
Plastics have revolutionizedhealth care.
Think of sterile syringes, ivbags and heart valves.
Think of sterile syringes, ivbags and heart valves.
But the sheer volume ofplastics and the lack of
responsible disposal planningwas tipping the balance in the
(04:29):
direction of a looming crisis.
One more thing, coach, beforewe proceed.
For those of you who have beenwith us a while, hopefully you
know by now that we try to beevidence-based, unbiased and we
shoot straight with you.
There are those of you who aregoing to think that this is all
hyperbole.
Probably some folks out therewho think that global warming
doesn't exist and evolution is ahoax, but I just want folks to
(04:50):
know that we're trying to tellit like it is and to wake folks
up to a very serious issue thatwe have swept under the rug.
I recently read a list of thegreatest existential threats to
human life on Earth as we knowit, and this issue of toxins,
including plastics, was numberseven, behind things like
nuclear war, pandemics, globalwarming and such.
So we hope that you'll takethis seriously and hop on board
to spread the word and be a partof the solution.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
So what happens to that plastic?
As it turns out, about half ofthat plastic produced is
single-use only.
So that's your wrappers, yourdrinking straws, plastic bottles
, plastic bags.
We use them one time and thenwe throw them out.
So let's be clear there areeasily some other, more
biodegradable options that wecould be using instead of these
(05:34):
one-time use plastics.
When we throw these things away, where is the away?
About 40% of the plastic endsup in the landfill.
Unfortunately, plastic inlandfills does not biodegrade,
so it just breaks down intosmaller and smaller toxic
particles called microplasticsand nanoplastics, which
(05:56):
contaminate our ecosystem forcenturies or even thousands of
years, and these things justdon't go away.
Specifically, in the US alone,less than 1% of single-use
plastic bags are actuallyrecycled.
Around 19% of plastic waste isincinerated, which releases
greenhouse gases and toxiccompounds into the air, which
(06:17):
then, of course, negativelyimpacts our environment and our
health.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
You know, coach, sadly, over 20% of plastic waste
completely escapes anysemblance of waste management
and ends up as pollution in ourrivers.
Coach, sadly, over 20% ofplastic waste completely escapes
any semblance of wastemanagement and ends up as
pollution in our rivers, oceansand landscapes.
This leads to about 11 millionmetric tons of plastic entering
the oceans each year.
Next time you're driving downthe road, just look around the
roadside and look at all theplastic bottles and trash.
It seems like a lot of folks,coach, just think that Mother
(06:41):
Earth is just their own personaltrash can.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Agreed.
I still remember the day I wasdriving down the road with a
friend and she just opened thewindow and threw something out
and I was shocked.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
I know.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
But she truly didn't.
She thought that's just whatyou did.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Her mama and daddy never taught her to do it,
that's why we have to teach ourchildren better.
Lindsay Right, I see peoplethrowing their cigarette butts
down and I think, hey, this ismy earth too.
I don't want your cigarettebutt.
These are not evil people,coach, no, no.
But we have to change people'smindset, and that's why we're
talking about this, to try tobring awareness to this issue.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Yes, the awareness is that, unfortunately these
plastics in our waterways, theyslowly degrade into
microplastics and then they'refurther broken down into
nanoplastics, so we have thatgetting smaller and smaller idea
and then it contaminates thesoil, the water, the food chains
and this poses risks to bothwildlife especially marine life,
like we talked about in theoceans and then human health at
(07:37):
broad.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Coach, every moment of our lives we're exposed to
thousands of these substances.
Small plastic particles getinto our bodies and cause a
whole host of health problems.
A 2020 study from the journalEnvironmental International
found microplastics in humanstool samples from participants
across eight countries at adetection rate of 100%.
So if you think you're notaffected, then you need to think
(07:59):
again, because no matter whereyou live, you cannot escape them
.
These plastics are coming foryou, coach.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
And your poop's talking about it, that's right,
the poop doesn't lie.
That's right.
So these invisible particles,they're in our blood, they're in
our lungs, our reproductiveorgans, our brains and just
about every other organ system.
You'll even find plastics inbreast milk, placentas and
newborn babies.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Isn't that sad, coach , these little newborn babies
born with plastics.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Yes, and here's the kicker Most people have no idea
what they are or how they'reaffecting our health.
So we're here today to reallyshine some light on this dirty
little secret that the plasticindustry and our government
don't want you to know about,and just as a reminder.
The first step to change isawareness, and that's where
we're at.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
All right, coach, let's break it down for folks.
When you throw that plasticbottle into the river, the
bottles gradually break downinto small particles less than
five millimeters, calledmicroplastics that's smaller
than a grain of rice.
And eventually thosemicroplastics are broken down
into even smaller particles,called nanoplastics, and these
are so tiny you have to have amicroscope to see them.
They're even small enough tobypass our body's natural
(09:09):
filtration system, such as thelining of the lungs and the gut,
and sometimes they can even goright through the skin.
They're super tiny, but they'relarge enough to cause
mechanical damage and to carryalong with them some toxic
compounds.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
So where do they come from?
So we have the obvious answers.
Like plastic bottles, but alsoevery time you wash synthetic
clothing, thousands ofmicrofibers go down the drain
and end up in our water supply.
And guess what?
Your average municipal watersupply is not able to filter out
(09:44):
these nanoplastics, so they getdumped into a creek or we end
up drinking them again.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
And when you drive your car, tiny plastic particles
wear off your tires and becomeairborne.
These airborne nanoplasticshave been increasingly detected
in indoor and outdoor airsamples.
These airborne nanoplasticspose a significant emerging
threat to human health bycausing respiratory inflammation
, systemic oxidative stress,immune dysfunction and
potentially contributing toneurodegenerative processes.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
In fact, the list of sources of plastic exposure.
It could go on and on.
There are so many sources, it'simpossible to list them all.
However, one more surprisingsource I'll just briefly mention
is teabags.
This one shocked me.
It surprised me Steeping asingle teabag can release around
11.6 billion microplastics.
(10:29):
One teabag 11.6 billionmicroplastics and 3.1 billion
nanoplastics into a single cupof tea.
Plastics are everywhere andthey sneak up on you in really
unexpected places.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Yeah, and industrial processes, of course, are a
major cause of plasticcontamination in our environment
.
The result of these plasticsare absolutely everywhere.
Microplastics have been foundin the deepest parts of the
ocean, at the top of MountEverest and in Antarctic ice.
You literally cannot escapethem.
There is no corner of theplanet that is untouched.
A 2019 study documented thatairborne plastic particles can
(11:06):
travel over 100 kilometersthrough the atmosphere.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
It's in our tap water , bottled water, even the
expensive brands.
They're in our food, likeseafood, and they literally fall
from the sky in raindrops.
One study found that we'rebreathing in nanoplastics with
every breath, especially indoors, where concentrations can be
even higher.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
You know, and the scary part, coach, is they get
right inside of us in our bodies.
Some of the smallernanoplastics go right through
our membranes and they spreadthrough every single organ
system.
Think about it we are the firstgeneration in human history to
have plastics literallyintegrated into our bodies, and
the repercussions of that arereally kind of mind-boggling,
coach.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Yes, Scientists estimate that the average person
takes in tens of thousands tohundreds of thousands of these
particles every year.
Some studies suggest that weconsume about a credit card's
worth of plastic on a weeklybasis.
Oh wow, Coach, that's a lot.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
It's hard to imagine.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Incredible.
The main food sources ofplastics are seafood, especially
shellfish and smaller fish, seasalt, meat, dairy products,
root vegetables, fruits, honey,sugar, beer, soft drinks, tap
water, bottled water andprocessed foods.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Oh no, coach, don't tell me I've got to cut out my
beer, all right.
So what's the big deal here?
What does it mean for ourhealth?
Well, the research that isemerging is very deeply
concerning.
Let's start with the systemicinflammation.
Some experts suggested up to80% of all chronic diseases and
deaths worldwide areattributable to
inflammation-related conditions,and a 2020 study from the
(12:45):
Journal of Environmental HealthPerspectives found that all
major inflammatory markers wereconsistently elevated in
patients with increasedmicroplastic exposure.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Let's take a closer look at the number one cause of
death worldwide, which iscardiovascular disease.
So there was a landmark studythat was published in 2024 in
the New England Journal ofMedicine.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Which is the number one journal in the world, right.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
And it looked at patients undergoing carotid
endarterectomy, which issurgical removal of the plaque
buildup in arteries that causesheart attacks and strokes.
They found microplastics andnanoplastics in the arterial
plaques of over 58% of thepatients.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Yeah, they concluded that patients with microplastics
in their arterial plaques hadsignificantly higher risk of
heart attack, stroke and deathfrom all causes.
We're talking about 4.5 timesthe higher risk of heart attack
and about two times higher riskof stroke.
Coach, these are not smallnumbers.
So you know, when youextrapolate that out and look at
all the kajillion people whohave heart attacks, coach,
that's a significant number ofpeople.
(13:48):
In fact, they approximate that16 million heart attacks are
caused each year worldwide byplastic exposure.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
So let's talk about something that affects the
majority of us, and that's ourgut health.
So numerous studies have shownthat microplastics are wreaking
havoc on our gut microbiome.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
And a 2020 study from the journal Environmental
Health Perspectives demonstratedthat microplastics increase
intestinal permeability, whichwe call leaky gut, and this
allows toxic andpro-inflammatory compounds to
enter into our bloodstream.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Another gut effect is that microplastic exposure
altered bile acid metabolism andshort-chain fatty acid
production in the gut, both ofwhich are crucial for gut health
, metabolic health, immunefunction and our brain function
as well.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
So one aspect of health effect of microplastics
is particularly alarming, andthat is the effect on our
reproductive and hormone health.
Microplastics are acting asendocrine disruptors, meaning
that they interfere with ourbody's hormone health.
Microplastics are acting asendocrine disruptors, meaning
that they interfere with ourbody's hormone systems and, as
such, microplastics are sexist,coach.
They pick on women much morethan they pick on men, although,
as we'll discuss, men are nottotally immune from the effects
(14:55):
of microplastics either.
I remember years ago I heard alecture by a Harvard University
board-certified OBGYN who statedthat, quote girls who drink out
of plastic bottles have morePCOS.
Wow, coach, I was really blownaway when I heard that and think
about that for a minute Girlswho drink out of plastic bottles
have more PCOS.
Now, we did a whole show onPCOS, so I won't go back and
(15:18):
through all the detail on that,but just to say, for many women
who have it, it's not a trivialdisease.
And, coach, at least in America, what girl doesn't drink out of
plastic bottles?
They're everywhere.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
And yet, have any of you women or girls out there had
ever had a doctor to advise youto not drink out of plastic
bottles?
I think probably never.
Coach Right.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Agreed.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
I mean Coach, you think about it in your lifetime.
You're 29 now, right?
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Yes, yes, in my 20s, yes, so, in all these many years
.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Has a doctor ever told you to avoid plastics?
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Other than the one I'm sitting across the counter,
from who gifted me water bottles.
Yeah, yeah, no, you're one of akind, yeah okay In the practice
.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
we used to actually give out water bottles healthy
water bottles Glass.
We used to actually give outwater bottles healthy water
bottles glass.
We gave out some aluminumbottles, but we gave them away
as gifts because we wantedpeople to stop using plastic.
It was important to us.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Agreed, yeah, and I appreciate that.
Pcos affects up to 10% of womenof reproductive age and it
causes irregular periods,fertility problems, weight gain,
metabolic issues like diabetesand many more problems.
A 2018 study in environmentalresearch found that women with
(16:32):
PCOS had significantly higherlevels of plastic-associated
chemicals in their blood, likeBPA and phthalates, that
commonly adhere to microplasticsand endometriosis, where the
uterine tissue grows outside theuterus, causing severe pain and
fertility problems.
That's also been linked toexposure to plastic-associated
(16:54):
chemicals.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
For us men, folks, the sperm counts have dropped
significantly.
A 2017 meta-analysis and humanreproductive update documented a
52.4% decline in spermconcentration among Western men
between 1973 and 2011.
Wow, coach, that's a lot.
That's over half of the spermcount.
Microplastics have been founddirectly in sperm samples, and
(17:18):
they've been associated withreduced sperm quality, motility
and concentration.
So, as a result, both men andwomen are experiencing
infertility issues at anunprecedented rate, and
microplastics appear to beplaying a significant role.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Let's talk about something even more concerning
the effects of microplastics onour nervous system.
As we have stated on a previousshow, neurological diseases are
the number one cause of illnesson the planet.
The latest studies show thatmicroplastics can cross the
blood-brain barrier andaccumulate in the brain tissue.
Current research suggests thatmicroplastics contribute to
(17:55):
neuroinflammation andneurodegenerative diseases like
Alzheimer's, parkinson's andother forms of dementia.
Concentrations of nanoplasticswere found up to 10 times higher
in people diagnosed withdementia compared to those
without, and there is adose-dependent relationship
between plastics and dementia.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
It's kind of scary, isn't it, Coach?
Yes, yeah, it is Now.
For you young people, dementiamay not be on your radar, but
for us older folks I mean gosh,it seems like it's everywhere.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Dementia may not be on your radar, but for us older
folks, I mean gosh, it seemslike it's everywhere and I think
that's a number, a huge fearthat people have one day is
losing their mental capacity.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
I think it's the number one fear of older folks
is dementia.
No-transcript in newborns and a2014 study in environmental
(18:58):
health perspectives found thatprenatal BPA exposure, a common
microplastic-associated chemical, was associated with altered
brain structure and behavior inchildren.
The clinical expression of thismay be things like autism, adhd
, emotional dysregulation,anxiety, depression, cognitive
deficits, memory problems andabnormal sensory and motor
(19:18):
reflexes.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
The genetic toxicity evidence for microplastics is
extensive, based on decades ofresearch showing that
microplastics induce DNA strandbreaks and chromosomal
aberrations in human cellcultures.
Other studies have revealedthat microplastic exposure
altered DNA methylation patterns, which cause diseases that can
(19:41):
be inherited and then passed onfrom generation to generation.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Isn't that scary, Coach?
As it turns out, a lot of otherharmful toxins hitchhike on
microplastic particles, Thingslike heavy metals such as
mercury, persistent organicpollutants like BPA and
industrial chemicals.
These are particularlythreatening to the nervous
system.
Studies have found thatplastics can concentrate
persistent organic pollutantsfrom seawater up to a million
times higher than surroundingwater concentrations.
(20:06):
Wow, Coach, a million times.
That's a lot of hitchhiking.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Agreed the chemicals we add to plastics in plastic
production, includingplasticizers, flame retardants,
antioxidants and UV stabilizers,many of which are known
endocrine disruptors orcarcinogens.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Pathogen transport is another emerging concern.
A study from the journal WaterResearch found that
microplastics can serve asvectors for pathogenic bacteria
and viruses, potentiallyfacilitating the spread of
antibiotic-resistant organismsand emerging infectious diseases
.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
So when we give space to microplastics and
nanoplastics, they bring otherbad company too.
So what is this costing us as asociety, besides being sick,
debilitated and dying earlyunnecessarily?
As a society, besides beingsick, debilitated and dying
early unnecessarily?
Early estimates suggest thatplastic pollution could be
costing the US healthcare systemhundreds of billions of dollars
(21:12):
annually, and globally thecosts are staggering, estimated
to be over $600 billion.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Now, coach, let's take a breath here.
$600 billion related to thisproblem, that's huge.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Yes, it is, and that doesn't include hundreds of
billions due to lostproductivity.
And as we learn more about thehealth effects of plastics, then
these cost estimates are boundto go up even further.
We're in a literal scienceexperiment.
We are so, no matter how youslice it, we're looking at a
(21:45):
massive economic burden tosociety from pervasive plastic
pollution.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Yeah, coach, it's really kind of frustrating.
As a society, we don't seem tobe willing to do the right thing
on the front end by regulatingand managing plastics, so we're
paying for it dearly on the backend, both in terms of direct
economic costs and also in painand suffering and disease and
mature death.
So, Coach, I think one reasonwe do value the importance of
this topic is that we rarelylook at medicine from the root
(22:12):
cause point of view.
The science is crystal clearthat plastics cause all these
diseases that we've been talkingabout.
There is no debate about it.
But yet when you go to yourdoctor, does he or she ever
mention it?
No, of course not.
There's a real disconnect here,coach.
We doctors pretend to bescientists, but we are totally
(22:33):
ignoring the inconvenient truthwhen it comes to the science of
plastics and toxins and theireffect on our health.
In medical school they neverteach us about toxins, and this
major issue is completely offthe radar screen.
In clinical practice, we'restill practicing at a what I
call symptom pill level inclinical practice, where you go
to your doctor, they make adiagnosis and they give you a
pill or they do surgery, butthey never really ask the
fundamental question of why thepatient got the disease.
(22:55):
If we did ask that question,then we might be able to help
that patient and many others inthe future and that's really
what functional medicine is allabout, Coach.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Yes, it's a super inconvenient truth.
It would be much preferable tohandle this issue like an
ostrich and stick our heads inthe sand.
It's not just human healthwe're talking about.
Plastics are devastating on ourentire environment and, at the
end of the day, this beautiful,beloved Earth that we live on is
the only planet we get, and sowe need to take care of it.
(23:26):
We just can't disrespect it,trash it and with forever
chemicals and then take ajoyride to the next place where
we can start all over.
We depend on this web of lifefor our own survival and I would
say so far our track record isnot very good, and as a mother
of two little ones, it's a bigconcern for me.
It's huge, it's profound andreally does make me want to
(23:49):
change and be a voice so thatthe world that we're leaving our
children is better than whatwe're describing here.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Bear with me, Coach, a bit for focusing on the
environmental impact, but beforeI went to medicine, I was
actually an environmentalengineer, so I care deeply about
this stuff.
And let's start with the ocean,since they seem to be taking
the major hit from plasticpollution.
Every year, about 14 milliontons of plastic end up in the
ocean.
This is equivalent to a hugegarbage truck dumping a whole
(24:18):
load of plastic into the oceanevery single minute, 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year.
Now this is crazy, Coach.
It almost sounds like sometwisted science fiction story in
a dystopian world, but it's alltoo real.
There's a blob of trash out inthe Pacific Ocean that is so big
it even has a name.
They call it the Great PacificGarbage Patch.
(24:39):
It's a vast soup of plasticdebris up to several meters
thick and covering about 620,000square miles.
It contains almost 130,000metric tons of plastic garbage.
It starts out as larger objectslike nets, bottles and bags,
but then it breaks down intomicroscopic and nanoplastics.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Then the microplastics and the
nanoplastics get into the marineecosystem and have devastating
and wide-reaching effects onmarine life, impacting organisms
from big whales to the smallesttiny plankton.
And when you look at largerplastics like nets, ropes, traps
, all those things made ofplastic, these items kill an
estimated 300,000 whales,dolphins and porpoises annually
through just them physicallybeing entangled with it.
Many other creatures, includingseals, turtles and fish, suffer
injuries, limb loss or deathwhen trapped by plastic debris
(25:36):
and seabirds, turtles and otheranimals can become entangled in
rings, bands or packaging waste,leading to drowning or death in
rings, bands or packaging waste, leading to drowning or death.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Then there's a serious issue of ingestion Many
marine species, such as turtlesand whales, they mistake
plastics for food.
For instance, a turtle consumesa plastic bag that he thought
was a jellyfish, and whales havebeen found to have tens of
kilograms of plastics in theirstomachs, leading to blockages,
starvation and even a painfuldeath.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
When the larger plastics are broken down into
microplastics, these accumulateeverywhere, from surface waters
to the very deepest trenches ofthe ocean, and these plastics
are now found in every level ofthe marine food web.
Microplastics also act ascarriers, like we've said before
, for other toxic chemicalswhich can then further poison
(26:26):
animals or disrupt theirmetabolism and reproduction.
The presence of microplasticsin plankton and other base-level
organisms threatens the entireecosystem by disrupting nutrient
cycling and photosynthesisprocesses, which are critical
for ocean health and oxygenproduction.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Now Coach.
Microplastics are alsodisrupting the ocean's ability
to absorb carbon dioxide.
The ocean is one of theplanet's major carbon sinks,
helping to mitigate climatechange, but microplastics are
interfering with this process,thereby contributing to global
warming.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
So, in summary, when it comes to our oceans, plastic
pollution is driving a silent,ongoing tragedy, threatening
biodiversity, disrupting theecosystems and directly harming
the health and survival ofcountless marine species and
ultimately affecting humanhealth.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
The effect on land is not much better.
Coach Plastics accumulate interrestrial environments,
sometimes even higherconcentrations than in marine
systems.
They alter soil structure,affecting agricultural
productivity.
Nanoplastics, along with theiradhered toxins, are absorbed
right through the plant rootsand accumulate in plant tissues,
passing up the food chain asthey enter the human consumers.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Plastics also affect the health of bee colonies and
one might ask, why should I careabout bees?
As it turns out, those littlebees are critical for global
food production, since we counton the bees to pollinate our
crops, and plastic pollution isconsidered a major driver of
terrestrial biodiversity declineand ecosystem degradation
across all land-based habitats.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
You know, Coach, I'm really sorry to hit the
listeners with all this doom andgloom, but we're trying to get
folks to wake up from a slumberon this issue of toxins in our
environment and on this plasticsissue in particular.
If you study this issue, you'llsee that there is a universal
urgent call to arms to dosomething about this looming
crisis, but it seems that almostnobody is listening.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
It's like we're all on a big bus speeding towards a
huge cliff and we notice thatthe bus driver is asleep at the
wheel and nobody has the courageor the willingness to go up
there and grab the wheel or tryto hit the brakes.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
So we're coming at you today on this issue to help
to amplify the alarm bell.
But talk is only beginning.
Now we need to walk the walk asindividuals and as a society,
especially for futuregenerations.
So what can we do to move theneedle in the right direction?
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Let's start at the individual level you and me and
let's get practical.
The first thing that we can dois reduce single-use plastics.
Every piece of plastic that youdon't use is plastic that won't
eventually become microplasticpollution.
For instance, keep some clothbags in the car and when you go
grocery shopping, use thoseinstead of the one-time-use
(29:03):
plastic or paper bags.
And when you go groceryshopping, use those instead of
the one-time-use plastic orpaper bags.
Other single-use products likestraws, stirrers, ziploc bags,
plates, bowls, cutlery cups,lids, containers, trays,
packaging, wet wipes, sanitaryitems, q-tips, balloons, cling
wrap, plastic gloves, laundrydetergent pods, detergent and
shampoo bottles, disposablemedical waste and, of course,
(29:24):
the big one, plastic bottles.
Let's just try to be moremindful that there's a lot of
really great alternatives outhere and we can do our best to
just start limiting what we areconsuming.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
All right, coach, I'm looking across the table and I
see you bought this beautifulwater bottle right?
So tell me about that.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Yes, this is just my nice metal water bottle.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
Right.
And so you could have had aplastic bottle, which would have
not only been bad for theenvironment but bad for you,
Right?
And so you made a wise choice.
So what I'm getting at is, withevery single one of those
things that Lindsay mentioned,you can make wise choices Right
and it matters.
So I encourage you all to kindof put on your thinking caps and
think how can I make adifference there?
Speaker 2 (30:11):
So like, for instance , when you go out to dinner and
the waiter brings you a straw,say no, thank you.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Well, unless you want a straw.
But for me I just soon drinkout of the glass, and so I say
no, thank you Now.
If you don't say it right away,they won't take them back,
Right.
So you have to right away.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
Before they put it on the table.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
Yeah, and if you've got to get takeout you can
refuse the plastic cutleryunless you need it.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
Sometimes you can carry your own reusable set if
needed.
Absolutely so.
Use those refillable waterbottles for our beverages rather
than buying the plastics andthen for food storage.
Switch from plastic wrap anddisposable sandwich bags to
there's beeswax wraps orsilicone bags or glass
containers, and use those tostore your food.
Also, look for products withlittle or no plastic packaging.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
Choose natural fibers over synthetic clothing when
possible and use quality itemsdesigned to last and consider
air drying synthetic clothes.
Also consider buying some ofyour clothing at a thrift store
or vintage store or some othersort of clothing exchange to
increase the lifespan of theclothing and to keep it out of
landfills.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
I love a good consignment sale.
Dr Mack, I'm actually wearingthrifted attire today, so it
goes well with our podcast.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Yeah, it's one of my favorite shirts I've bought at
those kind of places.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
Yes, they're already soft, they're worn in.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
I think my daughters actually have I don't know what
you call.
Them buy clothes on these kindof clothing exchanges.
Do you know about those?
Speaker 3 (31:33):
I've used some websites that sell or people are
selling their clothes.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
That they're done with yeah, yeah, yeah, it's
pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Yeah, also, we can maintain or repair and reuse
plastic items rather than justthrowing them away.
We can also donate or sellunwanted but still usable
plastic products rather thanfilling up our landfills, and
we're going to list some ofthese resources for you as well.
On mcminnmdcom, we'll list abunch of options for swapping,
(32:04):
donating or repairing plastics,and so go check that out,
listeners.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Yeah, there really are a lot of options there, so
we'll have a good list there foryou.
But to also use plastic-freepersonal care products, opt for
bar soaps.
I used to get the soaps in thelittle plastic.
Now I always get bar soapswrapped in paper.
The soap itself is biodegradable.
The paper is biodegradableShampoo bars, toothpaste tablets
, bamboo toothbrushes instead ofplastic package products and
(32:35):
support brands who use glass,paper or biodegradable materials
.
There's some stores out therecalled zero waste shops where
you can get all sorts of bulkproducts, from foods to personal
care products.
All you do is bring your owncontainer and fill it up no
waste and they're out there.
You just have to kind of lookfor them.
They're only a Google searchaway.
There are also manyopportunities to give away,
share, recycle, fix and reuseplastic products, like
Freecycleorg orBuyNothingProjectorg.
(32:57):
I'll have a bunch of theselisted for you in the references
and resources page onmcminnumcom.
Also participate in cleanups.
Help pick up litter in yourcommunity parks, beaches, rivers
and streams.
Whenever Dr Cheryl and I gocanoeing, we take a big bag with
us, and we almost always comeback with a bag full of plastic
waste.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
And that's a fun activity even for kids to do.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
You know, they can find that to be really rewarding
yeah well, like we're cruisingalong in the canoe and we'll see
like a bottle floating overthere and we'll go over and get
it and put it in the bag and wecome the bag's almost full when
we come back.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
Yeah, and that's, and you're out enjoying nature and
you're able to just do that atthe same time because you can
create this as a lifestyle.
Individual action is good, butit's also not enough.
For such a huge, urgent,looming crisis as this, though,
we also need to be advocateswith.
We need governmental change andbusiness changes in our
(33:50):
communities as well, so here aresome things that we can do
collectively.
We got to advocate for andsupport laws that reduce
single-use plastics, improvewaste management and hold
producers responsible forplastic pollution.
We can call and write ourlegislators about this issue,
(34:10):
and we can also support and votefor people locally and state
and federal levels who will beenvironmentally aware and
responsible.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
You know Coach policy matters.
One study found that plasticbag bans reduce plastic bag
litter by over 70%.
Another study found thatcoordinated international action
could reduce marine plasticpollution by 80% by 2040.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
That's awesome and historically we have not held
polluters responsible due tocorporate greed and politics.
But unfortunately, we are allpaying for it on the back end
through sickness, death andhumongous health care costs, and
it's only going to get worseand environmental issues as a
(34:55):
red issue or a blue issue.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
I'll vote for anybody who cares about our health and
our environment, but withoutnaming names or parties.
I just got to say that one high,high ranking figure in our
administration currently statedthat biogradable straws are
liberal, so he made his ownbrand of plastic straws with his
name on them and grifted abouta half a million dollars off
this cause, claiming thatplastic forever straws stand for
freedom and defiance.
The same unnamed person hastaken significant steps to roll
(35:18):
back policies related to plasticpollution, which, of course,
was much welcomed by thepolitically influential plastic
industry.
Oh my gosh, coach, we're in fora rough road on this issue, but
we can't give up.
This is just too important.
We've got to keep on keeping onand try to make this a better
world for our children, or else.
So please support candidatesred, blue or purple who care
about our health, our planet andour future generations.
(35:40):
We're supposed to have theright to life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness, and bygolly we should have the right
not to be poisoned every time webreathe air, drink water or eat
food.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
We also need to advocate for better labeling on
products so consumers can makeinformed choices and fund
research into alternatives, andwe need to demand transparency
and accountability fromcorporations.
When a company is doing theright thing and creating
biodegradable plastics or aclosed-loop system, then we need
to support them and use ourdollars to support eco-conscious
(36:15):
brands.
A great example of that isPatagonia, which for many years
has been recognized forenvironmental activism, ethical
supply chains and using recycledand organic materials in all
their apparel.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
So you know, Coach, if I'm trying to buy a new
jacket or something like thatand there's another brand in
Patagoniaotta, I'll buypannacotta, because, once again,
you need to support companieswho are doing the right thing,
right.
Yes, Also, join and supportorganizations that promote
sustainable environment.
There are many of them outthere and I encourage you to
look them up.
However, a couple you might befamiliar with are Sierra Club
and Nature Conservancy.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
Collaborate with nonprofits or grassroots
movements.
You can find out about suchorganizations just by doing an
Internet search fororganizations that support the
reduction in plastic pollution.
Also, share information aboutplastic pollution and practical
reduction tips with friends,family and your community.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
Teach your children about stewardship and simple,
sustainable habits.
After all, they're the ones whoare going to inherit this mess
that we're making.
Support schools integratingenvironmental education and
write reviews or emails tocompanies asking them to reduce
plastics.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
Remember your actions are like a drop in the ocean,
but if we can all get on boardit becomes a tidal wave and we
can make impactful changes.
I'm reminded of the quote don'tdespise the day of small
beginnings here, and that's justthe idea that even the smallest
action, it can ripple, spreadand grow.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
So, coach, let's start to wrap this up with some
tips on how you can protectyourself from the harmful health
effects of microplastics.
Start by understanding yourmain sources of exposure to
plastics, and these includethings like bottled water,
seafood, table salts, fruits,veggies, food packaging, indoor
dust, textiles and clothing, airpollution, personal care
products and plastic plumbingsuch as PVC pipes.
(38:02):
Also, for some, it'soccupational exposures.
So run down this list that Ijust made and think about what
might be affecting you and howyou can make some smart changes
to reduce your exposure and howyou can make some smart changes
to reduce your exposure.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
Filter your water.
Reverse osmosis removes over99% of microplastics, while
activated carbon filters remove70 to 90%.
So if you can't drink filteredwater, then studies have shown
that tap water is generallybetter than bottled water.
When it comes to plastics,Never microwave food or drink in
plastic containers.
Heat increases the release ofplastic particles.
(38:36):
Also, avoid drinking hotbeverages out of styrofoam.
The ingredients in styrofoamare a form of plastic and they
leach into your beverage.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
Now, of course, the big one.
Of course coaches avoiddrinking out of plastic bottles.
A couple years ago, dr Sheryland I were down in Florida
during the heat of the summerand we stopped at this gas
station.
And at the gas station theysold food and drink.
And in order to save space, thefolks who ran the store stored
all of their bottled water outon the front stoop there all day
, day after day, in the hotFlorida sun.
(39:07):
Well, as it turns out, bothheat and sunlight caused the
release of more nanoplasticsfrom the bottle into the water.
So when you drink that bottledwater you never know where that
bottle has been.
Was it stuck on a truck on theside of the road in the hot sun,
or in the sunlight on a hotsummer day, like in the stoop of
that Florida gas station, whoknows?
The bottom line is that whenyou drink bottled water you are
(39:27):
drinking nanoplastics.
There's no way around it, coach.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
You also want to use clean cleaning products and
personal care products.
I always have said on thepodcast and I know you have as
well, dr Whitman that theEnvironmental Working Group is a
wonderful resource.
They give you all the info thatyou need to get non-toxic
personal care products that youneed and overall on the general
environment.
Personal care product choiceshave measurable impacts.
A 2015 study estimated that thephase-out of microbeads in
(39:58):
cosmetics prevented a whopping4,594 tons of microplastics from
entering the environmentannually.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
Wow, that's a lot of tons.
Well, kosha, now let me beclear.
We're not advocating for goingback to a pre-plastic world.
That's just not going to happen.
It's impossible.
The cat is out of the bag, thedye is cast and we have crossed
the Rubicon on that issue.
Also, plastics have enabledtremendous advances in medicine,
technology and quality of life,but instead it's about using
them more wisely, eliminatingunnecessary applications,
(40:27):
developing safer alternativesand managing the plastic waste
responsibly.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
And we've got to be honest about what we don't know.
While the evidence is solidthat microplastics pose serious
health risks, there are stillsignificant research gaps.
But here's the thing we can'twait for perfect information
before we act.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
There is no doubt.
The evidence that we have sofar is clear and compelling and,
to summarize, we've beencranking out staggering amounts
of synthetic plastics now for100 years, with very little
concern for what happens tothese harmful products on the
back end.
Detection rates in humansamples now approach 100%, with
profound effects on our health,the health of future generations
(41:06):
and the health of our planetand overall cost to our society.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
So our message to you today is clear Microplastics
represent a planetary healthemergency that requires
immediate and comprehensiveaction, and the window for that
action, though it's narrowing,plastic production is set to
triple by 2050.
Every year we delaycomprehensive action, the
problem becomes exponentiallyharder to solve and the health
(41:34):
impacts become more severe.
Once those plastics are outinto our environment, in our
food chain and in our bodies,it's too late.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
You can't take them back, Coach, and you know.
The evidence shows thatinterventions do work.
That's the good news.
Some countries are implementingextended producer
responsibility laws makingplastic manufacturers
responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products,
including cleanup.
However, for better or forworse, toxins from one country
affect all countries, so thisneeds to be a worldwide effort.
(42:03):
All of us are working together.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
Fortunately, public awareness is growing around this
issue, with more pressure forchange.
Young people, especially, aredriving demand for sustainable
alternatives for change.
Young people, especially, aredriving demand for sustainable
alternatives.
So my children and futuregenerations will judge us by how
we respond to this today.
This is how we respond to thiscrisis.
Someday, I hope that my kidswill say thanks, mom, for being
(42:26):
an agent of change and saving mefrom those terrible health
problems from toxins.
Or would they say, mom, whydidn't you do more?
Or why did you not?
Why were you quiet about thisissue?
We have the knowledge, thetechnology and the economic
incentives to solve this problem.
So what we need now is theindividual and collective will
(42:46):
to act.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
You know, coach, this actually starts to get personal
, because I mean, people need tounderstand that these poisons
are only released because we, asconsumers, send our dollar
demands to industries that makethings cheaply as possible.
This takes no account of thedamage to human life and health.
We all end up paying forchemical toxicity one way or the
other.
It's a simple choice you pay atthe supermarket, you pay at the
(43:09):
doctor's office, you pay at thehospital or you pay at the
hospice.
If this episode changed how youthink about plastics, then
please share it with others.
Science only matters if itleads to action, and action
starts with awareness.
We need to build a tribe ofpeople who care about our health
and the future of life on thisbeloved Mother Earth that we
live on, which has been so goodto us.
However, right now, coach, Igotta say Mother Earth has
(43:32):
suffered some domestic abusefrom us and she is shedding some
tears.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
That about does it for our discussion of
microplastics?
I hope that we were able toshare something that informed
and inspired you.
Speaker 1 (43:44):
Thank you so much for listening and please do take a
moment to rate us on iTunes.
These reviews really do make adifference for us.
Also, if you like the podcast,then please take a moment today
to let a friend know about itand to help us spread the word
on this evidence-based, holistic, functional and integrated
medicine.
If you'd like to reach out tome to comment on the show or to
make recommendations for futuretopics, you may do so at
(44:04):
drmcminn at yahoocom.
Speaker 3 (44:07):
Until next time, stay curious, stay informed and
remember small actions can leadto big changes.
Speaker 1 (44:15):
This is Dr McMinn signing out.
Speaker 3 (44:17):
And this is Coach Lindsay.
Speaker 1 (44:19):
Take care and be well .
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