OUR ENVIRONMENT IS NOT OUR DUMPING GROUND

Every now and then something I learn totally pulls the rug out from underneath me.
I feel like sometimes my focus is so inward, what’s going on inside the body, its physiology and biochemistry.
Yes we look at diet and nutrition, stress and lifestyle factors, but perhaps what we don’t look at enough is the effect the environment has on our bodies.
Or more specifically, what we as a human race are doing to our environment that is then negatively affecting our bodies.
I recently watched a program that took an incredibly detailed look at the effect of micro plastics on our oceans and marine life.
We talk about the wonderful benefit of eating fish and seafood, rich with omega 3, fatty acids, zinc and minerals, not to mention a great protein source.
What we are not being told about is the potentially toxic secret harboured in the tissue and digestive tracts of our marine animals.
Some of you may have seen media coverage of late discussing the toxic effects of micro plastics, or specifically, micro beads in our waterways.
Micro beads are those lovely beads of plastic we find in everyday exfoliating cosmetic items such as showers gels and facial exfoliators.
These micro beads are ending up washing down the drain and polluting our waterways and marine eco systems, ending up in the gut and blood streams of our fish, mussels and a host of other marine animals.
Studies conducted over many years and research compiled over decades is painting a very grim picture of the damage these micro plastics are inflicting.
Micro plastics are not only from our cosmetics, but astoundingly from the very clothes we wear on our backs.
Synthetic materials such as acrylic, nylon and polyester fibres are finding their ways into the tissues of our fish and are being seen to cause cell death, liver tumours and decreasing fertility and reproduction.
Plastics and synthetic materials contain toxins that are hormone disrupting, as I discussed a few weeks ago when we looked at the “greenwashing” that happens in every day cosmetics.
You see, toxins are fat loving and water hating, they are detoxified by our liver and stored in our fatty tissue.
Guess where our excess hormones are GROUND stored? You guessed it, our fatty tissue.
Not only are the fibres themselves toxic, so too are the flame retardants and chemicals they are sprayed with.
Every time you wash those clothes, you wash around 2,000 fibres per item of synthetic clothing into our waterways.
Filtration systems are designed to collect large piece of plastics, but have little hope collecting micro plastics.
What on earth are we doing to our planet? What can you do?
Do not buy exfoliating products that use micro beads, these are in the process of being banned in Australia.
Choose defoliators that use natural materials such as almond that are not environmentally toxic.
Try and wear clothing made from natural materials such as wool and cotton, with natural dyes.
Respect our environment and everything she has given us. She is not our dumping ground, she is the giver of life.