Microplastics are extremely small particles of plastic that are the byproducts of plastic products. They can come from any plastic, so things like your phone case, your water bottle, and that ballpoint pen you sometimes chew on they’re all sources of microplastics.
How exactly they get into your body may be a little bit clearer after two of those examples. However, chewing on and drinking from plastic things aren’t the main way that microplastics enter most peoples’ bodies. Most microplastics enter the bloodstream and digestive system through the consumption of food and drinks containing them and even through the respiratory system for particles that are small enough.
While microplastics may seem scary and impossible to avoid, there are ways to detox from them. A detox will help by
- Shop Organic
The USDA defines organic as a term used for foods and products produced through a set of approved methods and standards. Crops eaten or used for clothing production may not be certified organic if they were grown with chemical pesticides. Pesticides are something you’ll want to avoid if you’re trying to detox from microplastics. Whether they were used for the foods you eat or on the fibers that make up your clothes, pesticides contain plastics that can enter the body.
- Improve Your Gut Health
A healthy gut is a happy gut. To improve your gut health, you’ll want to focus specifically on your gut’s microbiome. Eating more fruits and vegetables and fewer processed foods with artificial sugars is a good place to start. Probiotics can also improve your gut health.
- Avoid Eating Shellfish
Shellfish like lobsters and crabs are bottom feeders. This means that they are more likely to have ingested microplastics that have made their way to the bottom of the ocean. Consuming animals that have also consumed microplastics is a lot like the transfer of energy in the food chain- that is to say- eating animals that ate microplastics, is the equivalent of ingesting microplastics yourself.
- Wash Your Clothes Less Often
One major way that microplastics break down is by being run through the washer and dryer. Because most clothes are made of synthetic fibers, every time they are washed and dried (particularly in machines), they break down more microplastics. These plastics then get into the spent water and even the air in some cases.
- Do Not Microwave Plastic Containers
When you microwave your food in plastic containers, you are heating up the plastic, which then allows the microplastics to enter the food. Avoiding heated plastic altogether is the safest bet if you’re looking to reduce your microplastic ingestion. That includes not drinking from that plastic water bottle you left in your car.
