It’s July and hot. Be mindful of foods packaged in plastic. When you store warm/hot food in plastic, or when plastic containers warm up (like a water bottle in a car), the food absorbs plastic.
In a new online journal called Brain Health; volume 1 of 1, the title of the paper is called. The human microplastic burden and brain health: From measurement to pathophysiology and removal.
Foods can contain plastic. I’ll get to how they get there in a few paragraphs. Interestingly, your small intestine breaks down microplastics into nanoparticle sizes. These nanoparticles of plastic will travel throughout the body and are so small they can get past the brain’s protective barriers and lodge in brain tissue. This is not good, as it can lead to multiple brain health issues. See the link below for a very understandable graph.
* Brain inflammation: lack of focus, headaches.
* Memory decline – dementia – like changes
* Anxiety / Depression
* Blood vessel wall damage with inflammation leading to artery blockage
* Obesity
* Diabetes
* Immune system dysfunction
* Reproductive and cancer risks
Heat is the primary cause of plastics transferring into our food. The most common source is soft plastic water bottles. If the water bottle gets even slightly warm, the plastic will transfer into the water.
Plastic food containers. Warm food going into a plastic container. Even if cold, I want you to avoid the plastic containers for food and any liquids. Use glass storage containers. When buying foods that come in plastic, like mayonnaise or juice. These harder plastics do not transfer easily unless someone leaves them in a hot car. I am unconcerned about foods that were cold when made and that you and I would keep away from heat. My concern is soft plastics of any type and transfer with heat.
My most memorable experience with this was a fellow with terrible sinus problems. His sensitivity test for chemicals showed plastics. During his follow-up appointment, he expressed his excitement about his improvement and identified the culprit. His favorite cookie came in a plastic tray.
He noticed his symptoms aggravating after eating this cookie. I hadn’t thought of the heat transfer of cookies leaving a hot oven, dropping onto a moving belt, which within seconds placed them in a plastic tray.
When I read this article, I did not immediately think of memory issues. I thought of the hyperactive – brain inflammatory kids. It’s summer and these kids are busy making mom and dad busy.
Run an experiment this July: do not store or buy food that may have a heat transfer of plastic. See if you notice a difference in the ability to focus attention.
Let me know if you notice a positive change.
Things to do at home:
Air out the car of any plastic smells before getting in. You’re breathing in plastic, and it is going to be in your bloodstream. Healthy people will remove most of the plastic through the kidneys. We want to minimize exposure, as plastics readily accumulate in the fat layer.
Avoid plastic water bottles as much as possible. If you have plastic water bottles in the car while traveling, keep cool or cold, and once warm, do not consume.
Avoid foods that manufacturers heat and package in plastic, as the plastic could transfer. Cookies, maple syrup in a plastic container, frozen food stored in a plastic tray.
Store food at home in glass. Plastic containers are for dry, cool food – no way of heat transfer.
Genomic Press. Online Publication Date: 05 May 2026
The human microplastic burden and brain health: From measurement to pathophysiology and removal. Julio Licini Charlotte Steenblock Nicholas Fabiano Stefan Bornstein Ma-Li Wong
DOI: 10.61373/bh026p.0006
https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/brainhealth/1/1/article-p12.xml