This video explains the dangers of plastics, specifically microplastics and nanoplastics, on human health. Dr. Deb Ford discusses how these tiny plastic particles and their associated chemicals can harm the heart, brain, immune system, and hormones. She provides practical steps to reduce plastic exposure in daily life, from food and drink containers to clothing, and offers advice on supporting the body's natural detoxification processes.
Key Takeaways
1
Plastic breaks down into tiny microplastics and nanoplastics that can enter our bloodstream, organs, and even our brains.
2
Humans ingest an equivalent of a credit card size worth of plastic every week through food, water, air, and clothing.
3
Plastics contain harmful chemical additives like BPAs, BPS, BPF, phthalates, and PFAS (forever chemicals) that disrupt hormones and cause inflammation.
4
Research shows microplastics in arteries are linked to a significantly higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or death.
5
Nanoplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier and cause neuroinflammation, potentially contributing to conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and depression.
6
Microplastics confuse the immune system, leading to chronic low-grade inflammation, autoimmune issues, and disruption of the gut microbiome.
7
Synthetic clothing made from polyester, nylon, and spandex sheds billions of microfibers that enter our bodies through the air, water, and skin.
8
To reduce plastic exposure, use glass or stainless steel containers, avoid microwaving in plastic, choose natural fiber clothing, and improve indoor air quality.
9
Support your body's detoxification by eating an anti-inflammatory diet, staying hydrated, sweating, and consuming fiber and fermented foods.
10
Many harmful effects of plastic exposure are reversible by removing the source and restoring balance, as the body can detoxify and renew itself.
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0:00
Good morning, my friends. This is Dr.
0:02
Deb Ford, dietician and doctor of
0:04
clinical nutrition. And today, we're
0:07
going to dive into a topic that's both
0:10
shocking and vitally important for your
0:13
health. Plastics. How they're silently
0:16
invading your heart, your brain, your
0:18
immune system, and your hormones. It's
0:21
some pretty heavy stuff, but I think you
0:24
have to know and act on this information
0:27
for your health and longevity, for your
0:31
health span. We know plastic is
0:33
everywhere, water bottles, food
0:36
containers, food packaging, even our
0:39
clothes. But what most people don't
0:42
realize about this convenience factor is
0:46
it comes with a cost. Those same
0:49
plastics are breaking down into
0:52
microscopic pieces called microlastics
0:56
and nanoplastics.
0:59
Research now shows they're making our
1:02
ways into the bloodstream, our organs,
1:06
even our brains. So today we're going to
1:10
connect the dots between plastics and
1:13
chronic disease, especially
1:15
cardiovascular disease, brain health,
1:19
immune function, and hormone health.
1:22
I'll walk you through the latest
1:23
science, and of course, I'm going to
1:25
give you some practical heavenly ways to
1:28
protect yourself and your family.
1:32
If you are old enough to remember the
1:34
1967
1:36
movie, The Graduate with Dustin Hoffman,
1:40
he was given advice after he graduated
1:43
college and his future was ahead of him.
1:45
He was given advice by an older
1:48
gentleman at a party that was, and I
1:50
quote, "There is a great future in
1:53
plastics." And boy was that right. It is
1:58
everywhere.
2:00
Plastic is just this synthetic polymer,
2:03
easy to make, but it doesn't degrade. It
2:06
just breaks down into smaller and
2:08
smaller pieces.
2:10
Scientists estimate that humans now
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ingest an unbelievable
2:17
credit card size worth of plastic every
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week. That's right. through our food,
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our water, the air we breathe, and even
2:28
the clothes we wear.
2:30
Microlastics
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are like under five millimeters. But
2:35
nanoplastics are even smaller. So small
2:39
that they can cross your cell membranes
2:42
and enter your bloodstream. Ah, once
2:46
they're there, they don't just sit
2:48
quietly and float around. They interact
2:51
with your cells, your hormones, and your
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immune system.
2:55
And plastics aren't just their material.
3:00
They contains hundreds of chemical
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additives. Some of the biggest
3:05
troublemakers, BPAs, BPS, BPF, hormone
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disruptors, phalates, also plasticizers.
3:13
They're the ones that make plastic
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really flexible or hard. They're in
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everything from your luxury vinyl
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plastic flooring to food packaging to
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shampoos, phalates.
3:27
And the plastics themselves when they
3:29
fragment, they become tiny chemical
3:33
sponges, absorbing pesticides, heavy
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metals, and other toxins.
3:39
Okay, so now this little toxic cocktail
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is showing up in human blood. placentas,
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lungs, and even heart and brain tissue.
3:53
So, oh, recent research has found
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microlastics inside arteries when people
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are having open heart surgery. They see
4:03
it there and the implications are huge.
4:05
In early 2024,
4:08
there was a study published in the New
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England Journal of Medicine that
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analyzed plaque during corateed artery
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surgery
4:17
and they found microlastics in 58% of
4:22
those samples. And here's the kicker.
4:25
People who had plastic in their arteries
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were over four times more likely to
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suffer a heart attack, stroke, or die
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within 3 years than those who didn't.
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That was in a Harvard review. That's
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astounding. Imagine
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plastic particles basically embedded in
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arterial walls triggering inflammation,
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oxidative stress, and plaque
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instability.
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Oh, and then you add all the chemicals
4:58
that are in with them that are linked to
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high blood pressure, insulin resistance,
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and even sudden cardiac death. In the
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2021 review in the journal of the
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American Heart Association found that
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daily exposures to these plastic
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chemicals increase the risk of
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hypertension and atherosclerosis.
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H
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basically what's happening is these
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chemicals are mimicking your hormones
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estrogen, thyroid and disrupting
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metabolism. They're causing inflammation
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and oxidative stress. ah directly
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damaging the cells that line your blood
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vessels, making them stickier and more
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prone to plaque.
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Now, you know me, I always connect this
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back to metabolic health because I was
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the canary in the mineshaft. Remember,
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metabolic inflammation is at the root of
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chronic disease. We got to protect that.
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We got to get it as strong as possible.
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And let's face it, plastics are
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definitely a noxious toxin that I talk
6:07
about in my book, Get Out of Hormone
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Hill. Now, we're going to go upstairs to
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the brain. Until recently, scientists
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did not believe plastic particles could
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possibly cross the bloodb brain barrier
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because it's a tightly controlled
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security gate that helps protect the
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brain from harmful substances. But
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science continues. In a 2024 study
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published in Nature Medicine, it
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confirmed that micro and nanoplastics
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have been found in human brain tissue.
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Now, they've even shown animal studies
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that nanoplastic can travel right up the
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oldactory nerve, right through your
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nose. You breathe it in, goes right to
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the brain. makes me really not want to
6:58
have those plugins that excrete all
7:02
sorts of wonderful smells right up your
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nose. These particles trigger
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neuroinflammation.
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That's the kind of brain fire that
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damages neurons and gleal cells. H
7:15
researchers at Stanford found that these
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plastics activate immune cells in the
7:20
brain and increase oxidative stress. You
7:24
know, kind of imagine it like glitter.
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If you have glitter in your brain, these
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tiny sharp pieces that don't belong
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there, your immune system rushes in to
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clean it up, but it can't remove it. So,
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it keeps releasing inflammatory
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chemicals. Over time, this chronic
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lowgrade inflammation affects focus,
7:48
memory, and even mood.
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Especially
7:53
concerning is the fact that we know
7:56
neuroinflammation
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plays a major role in Alzheimer's,
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Parkinson's, and depression. And
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remember also, these particles don't
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come alone. They're bringing all those
8:08
other chemicals that interfere with
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thyroid and affect dopamine and
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serotonin.
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So, if your teen is struggling with
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brain fog, fatigue, and focus,
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maybe time to be a little detective.
8:24
Now, let's talk about your body's
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defense system, your immune system. When
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those microlastics enter your
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bloodstream, your immune system sees
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them as invaders, because they are.
8:36
Studies show that the macrofagages and
8:39
other immune cells engulf these
8:41
particles trying to break them down. But
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because they don't break down, they
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don't biodegrade, immune cells
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eventually just die off, releasing lots
8:51
of inflammatory chemicals. The result,
8:54
more chronic lowgrade inflammation. That
8:58
silent spark behind immune, autoimmune,
9:02
allergies, fatigue, and even premature
9:06
aging. The autoimmune institute reported
9:09
in 2024, all this is very recent, that
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microplastics can accumulate in immune
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tissues and they may actually increase
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autoimmune risk by confusing the immune
9:21
system teaching it to attack its own
9:25
tissues. I wrote about this plastic and
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interstatial cyitis in my book and I
9:32
have found plastic to be a huge
9:35
contributor to bladder irritation. So
9:38
you know if it can affect the bladder it
9:40
can cause irritation chronic
9:43
inflammation everywhere.
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And here's something fascinating.
9:47
Microplastics can even alter the gut
9:50
microbiome. Your gut, where 70% of your
9:53
immune system lies, is a prime target
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for these particles. They can disrupt
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the gut barrier, increase permeability.
10:02
You've heard of leaky gut, and throw off
10:04
your micro balance. That means more
10:08
inflammation, more immune confusion, and
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you guessed it, fatigue, weight
10:12
struggles, brain fog. It all goes
10:14
together.
10:16
And there's something that surprises a
10:18
lot of people. Some of the most
10:21
consistent plastic exposure isn't from
10:24
what we eat or what we smell. It could
10:27
be from what we wear.
10:30
Your clothing, your fitness gear, and
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even those sleek, smart watch bands,
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they never leave your wrist. And all of
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these items you wear when you sweat and
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your pores are open. Polyester, nylon,
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acrylic, spandex, all are plastic.
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They're soft. They're stretchy. They're
10:48
easy to wash. They wick the moisture,
10:51
but they shed billions of microfibers
10:54
every time we move or do laundry. They
10:58
enter the air we breathe, the water we
11:00
drink, and our current water processing
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plants are not designed to filter them
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out.
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Researchers have found that a single
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load of synthetic laundry can release up
11:13
to 700,000
11:16
microlastic fibers into waste water.
11:19
That was in environmental pollution back
11:22
in 2019. These fibers don't just pollute
11:25
the planet, they make their way back to
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us through seafood, tap water, and
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indoor dust.
11:35
And it goes deeper. We know that these
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fabrics have been treated with
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plasticizers,
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flame retardants, stain resistant
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coatings, and perfllorinated compounds,
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POS,
11:49
those forever chemicals. And those are
11:53
endroen disruptors,
11:56
meaning it messes up our hormones, your
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thyroid, your sex hormones, everything.
12:02
In a 2023 study from Environmental
12:06
Science and Technology found that
12:08
synthetic athlete wear and those popular
12:11
watch bands made out of all that, they
12:13
leech into our skin and enter our
12:15
bloodstream through our tiny pores. And
12:18
this means your leggings, your sports
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bra, your smartwatch, all are delivering
12:22
a tiny trickle of hormone disrupting
12:25
chemicals every day. And for those who
12:28
wear them 24/7,
12:30
think fitness trackers, medical alert
12:32
bands, and even those elastic
12:35
waistbands, exposure can be continuous.
12:39
So, are you struggling with hormone
12:41
imbalance, weight loss resistance, or
12:44
thyroid issues? It's worth looking into
12:48
not only your food and your cosmetics,
12:50
but your fabrics and your wearables.
12:53
Now, we can't live in a bubble, but we
12:55
can make better choices. Look for
12:58
natural fibers like organic cotton,
13:00
linen, wool, hemp, even bamboo. And if
13:03
you wear smart watches, get either the
13:07
metal, fabric, or a leather band instead
13:10
of the polyurethane.
13:12
Okay, now take a deep breath. You might
13:14
be thinking, "Oh, yikes, Dr. Dab.
13:16
Plastics are everywhere.
13:19
What can I possibly do?" The good news
13:22
is we can absolutely make a difference.
13:26
Remember, your body is designed to heal
13:30
and detoxify,
13:32
but only if we stop overloading it.
13:36
Here are some heavenly action steps to
13:40
reduce your plastic exposure and support
13:43
your detox pathways. In many cases,
13:46
you're going to have to be a detective.
13:48
There are only a few ways to make coffee
13:51
without plastic. Virtually all coffee
13:54
makers on the market, save one, have
13:57
plastic tubing, putting that
14:00
contaminated hot water right through to
14:03
your cup.
14:05
Ceramic pourover is an easy fix that I
14:08
used years ago. So, another thing,
14:11
rethink all your containers. Use glass,
14:13
stainless steel, or ceramic instead of
14:15
plastics. And never, never, ever
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microwave or heat in plastic, even if it
14:21
says microwave safe. And never ever get
14:24
those steamables. And avoid plastic
14:27
water bottles whenever possible. And
14:31
shop smart. I don't even put my produce
14:35
in those plastic bags. I just buy them,
14:38
take them home, wash them. Avoid canned
14:42
foods because they're all lined with BPA
14:44
and BPS. Skip the plastic wrap. Use
14:47
beeswax wraps or parchment paper.
14:51
And in your home, vacuum and dust
14:54
regularly because those microfibers come
14:56
from the synthetic fibers in clothing,
14:59
upholstery, and carpets. Be sure you
15:02
empty the bag outside so you don't
15:04
breathe it in. Anytime you see that
15:06
poof, that contains tons of those
15:10
microscopic fibers. Final shower
15:13
curtains and those plug-in air
15:16
fresheners are horrible. Probably most
15:18
importantly to make your bedroom a clean
15:21
air zone. Sleep. You heard me say it
15:25
many, many times. It is the cornerstone
15:27
of optimal health. And because you spend
15:30
at least a third of your time in there
15:32
when your body is repairing and
15:34
restoring itself, the air you breathe
15:36
through that entire period is really
15:39
important. So, get rid of rugs that trap
15:42
dust or at least clean them often if you
15:45
plan on keeping them. Next, make sure
15:47
your bedding is organic cotton. Having
15:50
an air purifier, I love the air doctor
15:52
right next to your bed. Breathing
15:54
cleaner air at night supports deeper
15:57
rest and helps your body heal more
16:00
efficiently.
16:02
Then, of course, we can help our body
16:04
detox through your liver, your kidneys,
16:06
your gut, and your skin. They are your
16:08
detox team. So, we've got to have a good
16:12
colorful anti-inflammatory diet rich in
16:16
cruciferous veggies, garlic and herbs
16:19
like cilantro and rosemary and turmeric.
16:24
Another thing, stay hydrated with clean,
16:26
pure water. Sweat. Sweat is a great way
16:31
to get rid of toxins through the skin
16:34
and support your gut with lots of fiber
16:37
and fermented foods and probiotics. And
16:40
of course, my 10day heavenly cleanse is
16:43
designed to do exactly this. Nourish
16:46
your detox organs while teaching you how
16:49
to reduce your toxin load. Remember the
16:52
V in heaven viewpoint. Don't live in
16:55
fear. Live in empowerment because you
16:59
are not powerless. Every step makes a
17:02
difference for your health, for your
17:03
family, for the planet. Because we can't
17:06
always control what's in the world. We
17:09
can control our choices, our awareness,
17:12
and our willingness to live a little
17:15
more simply, a little more naturally.
17:18
And here's the encouraging news. Many of
17:20
the harmful effects of plastic exposure
17:23
are reversible when we remove the source
17:28
and restore balance. Within 3 days,
17:31
levels start to drop of all the BPA and
17:33
the phalates. The body is constantly
17:36
renewing and detoxifying when we give it
17:39
the right environment. Good food, clean
17:41
air, good sleep, peaceful mindset,
17:44
healing happens naturally. So, there you
17:47
have it. The hidden story of plastics
17:50
and your health. How they affect your
17:52
heart, your brain, your immune system,
17:54
and your hormones. The science is
17:57
finally catching up to what many of us
18:00
in functional nutrition have known all
18:02
along. That toxic load matters.
18:06
Remember, you are designed for health,
18:09
vitality, and joy. When you remove what
18:12
harms and nourish what heals, your body
18:15
knows exactly what to do. So until next
18:18
time, stay well, stay hopeful, and stay
18:21
heavenly healthy.
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Perils of Plastics in 2025
Deb Ford DCN RDN
55 views
Nov 16, 2025
18:23
Good morning my friends, this is Dr. Deb Ford, Dietitian and doctor of clinical nutrition and today we’re diving into a topic that’s both shocking and vitally important for your health: plastics — and how they’re silently invading your heart- causing disease, your brain- causing discord, your immune system- causing confusiom and your hormones- wreaking havoc. It is some pretty heavy stuff but I think you have to know and act on this information for your health and longevity.