LET’S TALK PHTHALATES…

I recently posted about air fryers that have reported levels of phthalates that can cause some health concerns. My inbox was filled with a ton of questions on what Phthalates are and how concerned we should be about them if they are in everything.

The truth is, Phthalates are in pretty much everything we use in our daily routines i.e toys, food packaging and personal care items like soaps, shampoo, hair spray and nail polish to name a few.

So what exactly is it and why is this bad for you? Phthalates are a group of chemicals commonly used to make plastics more flexible and durable. The chemicals can act as endocrine disruptors that affect the hormonal balance of a person. It can alter the development and function of the hormone-dependent structures in the reproductive system for both men and women. On a daily basis we are exposed to Phthalates in different forms in many different ways, but overtime, the build up can cause disturbing health issues.

The good news is that ingested Phthalates don’t always stay in your body forever. There is no guaranteed way to avoid this, but there are steps you can take to minimize your intake or contact with Phthalates.

• Choosing phthalate-free personal care products.

• Avoid foods packages in plastic containers or wrapped in plastic film

• Using glass, stainless steel or BPA-free plastic containers for food storage

• Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables which may help reduce the amount of phthalates stored in the body.

* As always I’m not a professional, this post is a result of my personal research and experience. This blog post is not intended to substitute the advice of a health care professional.

Thank You for reading.

—xx M