Don’t take plastic.

The rise of microplastics in our environment is one case in point. Many everyday products can break down into fragments when heated, worn down or chemically processed. These particles can enter the body through food, contaminated air or contact with the skin.

A research has detected microplastics in nearly every organ. Recent studies have noted a link with a range of chronic diseases. Men with prostate cancer seem to have an abundance of them. Prostate cancer tumour tissue contained about 2,5 times more plastic than healthy prostate tissue. Researches discovered tiny plastic particles in nine out of ten men with prostate cancer. They were also present in around 70 % of benign prostate cases.

There researches are not sure how the microplastics cause cancer, but they think they may trigger a prolonged inflammatory immune response in prostate tissue. Over time chronic inflammation can damage cells and cause genetic changes that lead to cancer. Microplastics have also been linked to rising number of high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. The researches emphasise that correlation isn’t causation.

Microplastics come from packaging, but they are also in some of the foods and drinks we consume. They are in plastic bottled water, beer, meet and fish. The smaller the fish the higher the concentration of the microplastics, possibly because they are ingesting smaller food sources, such as plankton that could have high levels.

What to do​? Buy larger fish and rinse it thoroughly with water at home. The researchers found that washing the fish can remove some plastics. A good tip: don’t use any produce packaged in plastic. Fermented foods, such as kimchi can help the body to flash out tiny plastic particles before they can build up in organs.