PFAS: Defending Your Health and Environment
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pronounced “PER or PAUL-ee-floor-oh-AL-kill,” have emerged as a contentious issue in recent years, raising concerns about their presence in food and consumer products.
It has now become an ubiquitous chemical in our day to day lives, found in the majority of people worldwide, and is classed as a public health concern by many governmental environmental health bodies. These same bodies report that PFAS cause increased cholesterol levels, increased risk of high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia in pregnant women, low infant birth weight, changes in liver enzyme production (needed for detoxification) and increased risk of kidney and testicular cancer.
These chemicals only recently got mainstream attention in the mid-2010s. Movies like the 2019 film “Dark Waters” helped put the concerns around these deadly chemicals in the day-to-day vernacular, highlighting the deadly impact that PFAS have on human and animal health, even demonstrating it’s ability to poison livestock and farmers. This led to multiple bans on PFAS in food packaging, with many countries taking urgent action to limit the manufacture of these deadly chemicals.
These measures haven’t gone far enough, and recently, we’re having a reversal on some of the progress previously made. It’s being reported that the EU for instance is primed to break many of it’s anti-PFAS policies, inclusive of other extremely hazardous chemicals, under heavy pressure from Europe’s chemical industry. The USA has taken a State-by-State approach, focusing different elements such as firefighting foam, drinking water and some consumer products. Minnesota has proposed the most extensive ban on all uses of PFAS by 2032, except for those necessary for “public health.” Canada is still considering the ban, with many exemptions still in place. The UK has followed the EU with the previous bans on thousands of chemicals, but, like the EU, it’s uncertain whether government officials will bend to the demands of the chemical industry in the coming months.
Organic, natural living, depends on the ban of dangerous PFAS’. These chemicals persist in your soil, affecting your plants. They also persist in water, affecting you and your livestock. Our very ability to eat and sustain ourselves is only possible if we can guarantee the soil and animals are free from toxic chemicals.
For me the, the most important environmental crisis of our time is chemical pollutants. Though gasses produced from fossil-fuel combustion are largely considered by most to be the looming environmental catastrophe. The long banned CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons, pronounced klawr-oh-floo r-oh-kahr-buhns) are now being produced by the metric tonnes in countries like China, and probably other countries secretly using these chemicals in production or failing to dispose of previous CFC containing products effectively. CFCs speeds up the melting of the arctic ice caps, which in turn, releases large quantities of PFAS into the environment.
Due to the paucity of research into chemical mediators outside of fossil fuels on the melting of the polar ice caps, the real effect of the issue on the environment is hard to find - especially when researching on the internet, but more should be done to understand how chemicals are impacting our environment. We do know the strong impact chemicals like PFAS have on our health, soil, water and wildlife, and the threat it poses to aquatic ecosystems. PFAS have been around since the 1930s, and it’s taken nearly 90 years for a semblance of thorough investigation into their impact on our health and environment.
Reducing Exposure to PFAS
Along with supporting campaigns and encouraging your politicians to maintain or institute bans on PFAS, there are some practical ways you can reduce your exposure to the harmful chemicals:
Choose safe cookware: Opt for cookware made from materials like stainless steel, cast iron, or glass. Avoid non-stick and Teflon-coated pans. If you don’t want the food to stick, use coconut oil, ghee, avocado oil, and other healthy fats in cooking, which are nourishing and part of a balanced diet.
Check Food Packaging: Look for PFAS-free labels on food packaging, and consider using alternatives like glass containers or stainless steel lunchboxes.
Water Filtration: Activated carbon and reverse osmosis filters remove PFAS from drinking water. I personally have a Berkey Water Filter that removes 99.9% of PFAS, and it’s the best water filter I’ve ever had.
Avoid the “too good to be true”: Usually the “don’t have to clean, nothing ever sticks to it, don’t have to iron” stuff has the highest amount of chemicals. Opt for natural fabrics and materials, and steer clear of stain-resistant carpets, waterproof clothing, and microwave popcorn bags. You want to buy things in it’s most pure and natural form when you can.
Choose Organic Foods: Organic foods may have lower PFAS contamination as they typically avoid certain types of food packaging and processing.
Detoxifying from PFAS
While there is no sure fire way to eliminate PFAS from the body quickly, there are some strategies that may help reduce their presence over time:
Hydration: Staying well-hydrated can help flush toxins from the body. Drink plenty of clean, filtered water.
Healthy Diet: Consume a diet rich in antioxidants, including fruits, vegetables, proteins and healthy fats. Antioxidants are critical in supporting the detoxification processes.
Liver Support: Focus on liver-supportive foods like beets, broccoli, turmeric, and Milk Thistle, which can aid in detoxification. This will also help with maintaining healthy hormonal levels. Healthy liver detoxification also benefits kidney function.
Support the Gut Microbiome: Detoxification doesn’t just occur in the liver, but in the gut as well. Eating pre- and probiotic foods, having a fibre-rich diet, and avoiding processed carbohydrates will help to ensure your gut-detoxification processes are optimum. Address constipation and diarrhoea conditions promptly by readjusting your diet to ensure optimum elimination.
Regular Exercise: Engaging in regular physical activity can support overall health and may facilitate the elimination of toxins through sweat and your lymphatic system. Regular exercise also improves your gastric movement.
Sauna Therapy: Saunas can help the body excrete some toxins through sweating. For some pre-existing conditions saunas aren’t ideal, so consult your health provider.
Conclusion
PFAS are everywhere, but there is something you can do to reduce your exposure.
While detoxification from PFAS is an ongoing process, making informed choices regarding the products you use and the foods you consume can help reduce your exposure over time. Additionally, consulting with a naturopath or alternative health practitioner that specialises in toxic overload can provide personalised guidance on detoxification strategies and health management. Remain optimistic.
