Invisible Dangers: The Hidden Effects of PFAS in Our Lives
Prominent American economist Thomas Sowell once said, “There are no solutions. There are only trade-offs.”
In our modern lives, we usually assume that everyday convenience comes without consequences. However, in the real world this is seldom the case. What more often occurs is that harmful truths are kept from public awareness so that businesses and special interests can maintain wider profits margins at the expense of the public being aware of negative side-effects.
One such example is ‘Polyfluoroalkyl Substances’, or PFAs, a collection of thousands of synthetic compounds utilised in a wide range of consumer goods and business applications. They can survive for years in both the environment and in the bodies of humans and animals. They are essentially indestructible, harming us over time through chronic exposure. Bodily PFA accumulation leads to a heightened risk for many diseases, including cancer, infertility (via reduced testosterone), metabolic dysfunction (leading to obesity), thyroid dysfunction (leading to fatigue), ADHD symptoms, liver damage, kidney damage, and intestinal inflammation (leading to IBS, Crohn’s disease, and 'leaky gut'). With a biological half-life of around 4 years, it becomes critical to remove any sources of PFAs in your environment so that the detoxification process can begin.
Major sources of PFAs include:
Non-stick cookware - Arguably the highest source of PFAs in our lives are those contained in Teflon coated cookware. Regardless of how easy those delicious eggs slide off the pan, this convenience does comes at a cost. When teflon pans are subjected to high-heat, they begin to break down and aerosolise while additionally leeching directly into food substances. Beyond this, any scratches on the surface of the pan caused by cooking utensils causes vast increases in PFAs to leech from underneath, and anyone who has ever owned a Teflon pan knows how easily they scratch.
The Fix? Substitute Teflon cookware for non-toxic alternatives such as cast iron (for additional iron), carbon steel (for additional iron), stainless steel (for additional chromium and nickel), or 100% ceramic (for no leeching), however, it’s best to avoid anything labeled as ‘coated’ ceramic as these are often hiding toxic materials underneath. To avoid food from sticking to your pan, simply add butter for low heat cooking, or avocado oil/tallow/dripping/lard for higher heat cooking as the ‘smoke point’ for these fats are substantially higher and therefore safer from oxidation.
Ready-meal packaging - Who doesn’t love the warm convenience of a ready-meal after a long day’s labor? I would never take that away from you, what sort of monster do you think I am...? One caveat, however - heating it in its original packaging will almost certainly leach PFAs into your food before it’s even had the chance to touch your rightfully salivating buds.
The Fix? It’s best to let ready-meals defrost overnight in the fridge before placing contents into a non-plastic container for heating - a simple fix that will drastically reduce your exposure to these synthetic chemicals.
Certain Sunscreens and Cosmetics - Some sunscreens and cosmetics contain ingredients which fall within the spectrum of PFAs, these PFAs are absorbed transdermally when applied onto skin.
The Fix? Check the ingredient labels of your preferred sunscreens and ensure none contain ‘fluoro’ (such as ‘Ammonium pentadecafluorooctanoate’ or ‘Perfluorononanoic acid.’)
By making simple lifestyle changes and eliminating PFAs from your environment and consumption you’ll be adding yet another arrow into your quiver of good health and a better life.