The BBC reports that tests on major brands of bottled water have found that nearly all of them contained tiny particles of plastic.
These are the particles that can make their way across the gastrointestinal tract and be absorbed into the body. Concerning news, especially when you consider how essential water is to life. The volume of water you will consume in a lifetime is huge… and I really do mean huge. If the average person drinks 2 litres of water each day and lives for about 30,000 days (82 years) this will be 60,000 litres of water consumed in a lifetime, according to Illustrative Mathematics.
Another aspect to consider, especially for females, is the xenoestrogens found in common plastics. Xenoestrogens are chemicals that mimic estrogen in your body. ‘Xeno’ means foreign, so xenoestrogens are compounds that act like estrogens from a foreign source. They are man-made chemicals that mimic estrogen and impact hormone balance.
Why should you be concerned about xenoestrogens? Xenoestrogens wreak havoc on your hormonal balance and endocrine system and can create numerous health problems, from breast cancer in women to testicular cancer in young men.
Many hormone-disrupting chemicals, like bisphenol A (BPA), also disturb your thyroid’s normal function. Additionally, endocrine-disrupting chemicals may contribute to endometriosis, fibrocystic breast disease, ovarian cysts, migraines, infertility, breast cancer, reduced androgens, gynecomastia (enlarged male breasts) and even behavioural changes.
The effects of xenoestrogens are global and affect wildlife and humans alike. So what can you do? Simply, filter your water at home or use glass bottles. There are many on-the-go filters that will filter your water to a satisfactory level whilst avoiding adding more plastics to the environment. Do your bit for the environment, and ultimately for your health.
Mac
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