Plastic bottles and products have been an integral part of our lives. Having our sandwiches packed in plastic lunch boxes and drinking from plastic bottles are some reminiscence of plastic use. Today, the the world is full of toxins and environmental pollution plaguing waters, air, and soil of our planet. Continuing use of plastic would hence have debilitating effects both on our health and in large environment.
On an average, placenta of a pregnant women contains 300 to 400 toxins. Therefore, a baby is born with toxins as well. We cannot significantly change the environment overnight but taking small steps towards change can make a great positive impact in future.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already warned that plastic leaches around 55 to 60 chemical toxins when heated. When food is heated in a takeaway container or served on a plastic plate, the food mixes with several chemicals that mimic hormone estrogen. Consuming these foods might initiate a hormonal imbalance resulting in various medical conditions such as ovarian issues, PCOS, colon cancer, prostate cancer and several others. People usually use Styrofoam cups to drink tea or coffee and store leftover foods in plastic containers. The leaching process of chemicals initiates with just a little heat and even storing them in refrigerator is not going to prevent chemical leaching.
Unlike the belief that using microwave safe plastic can prevent chemical leaching, it is found that these plastic containers do leach as well when heated in a microwave. It is therefore advised to heat food on a stove rather than using a microwave. It would take just five minutes more than heating food in a microwave.
You must transfer water from a plastic bottle to a stainless steel glass before drinking it. Start saving the leftover foods in glass or stainless steel containers. Dump those impressive plastic lunch boxes and opt for simple stainless steel lunch-boxes. Go out to dine in restaurants rather than choosing home delivery options. If you really need to get food home-delivered, ask about the grade of packaging plastic material used for packaging while ordering your food. Mothers should try not to let their infants and toddlers sip milk from conventional plastic bottles.
Side effects of hormones that mimic estrogen can be impending infertility in young couples. Males might experience a low sperm count or low-quality sperms. Breast cancer is also an estrogen dominant cancer where this particular hormone feeds the tumors. Plastic containers are even more dangerous if they are not washed properly and have soap residues left. It is relatively easy to clean stainless steel or glass containers.
It is difficult to totally replace plastic products we use in our day-today lives but making these small changes can make a significant impact on our lives. So, try your best to eliminate plastic use from your life this World Cancer Day.