It seems these days that pretty much everything is bad for you—at least, everything you enjoyed when you were a kid. All the time, doctors and scientists are discovering new health complications related to products humans have been using for years, decades or even centuries.
Unfortunately the recent news about how many of the things we enjoy are actually bad for us isn’t all propaganda. It isn’t even mostly propaganda. Most of those things are actually bad for you. The amount of damage they can cause varies widely, but it’s very real.
It’s hard to say whether it’s because the human body is fragile and we’re only starting to discover the impact various things have on its health or because companies are deliberately ignoring warning signs and producing things that are toxic to us. Either way, we’ve come to realize there are health risks associated with many products we deal with on a daily basis.
Eventually governments around the world may rise up to ban many of these products and the chemicals that make them dangerous. Until then, the best course of action is to arm yourself with all the facts and decide what steps you’ll take to protect your health.
Let’s get started by taking a look at the health repercussions of those plastic bottles your daily beverage comes in.
The Health Risks of Plastic Bottles
The plastic bottles that provide your water at work or your daily dose of soda contain a number of potentially harmful chemicals. These chemicals are Bisphenol A, otherwise known as BPA, and Phthalates, a number of different chemicals used to soften plastic.
Research has proven that these chemicals leach out of the bottle and into your drink. The more often the bottle is used or the higher temperatures the bottle is exposed to, the more these chemicals leach into your drink. That’s why you’ve been told not to reuse water bottles and also why bottled water tastes kind of weird after it’s been left in the sun too long. Since heat makes these chemicals leach out faster, you might also want to avoid using plastic containers in the microwave.
So how dangerous are these chemicals? Well, scientists are still struggling to come to a final agreement. Many believe that these chemicals act in a similar way to estrogen, decreasing male fertility and leading to increased risk of testicular and prostate cancer. Still, the evidence isn’t decisive on a scientific level.
What is known is that male fertility rates in developed countries have decreased since the widespread use of plastic began after World War II, and that rates of testicular cancer have soared in the same period of time. We can’t know for sure that plastics are to blame, but cutting them out of our lives—or at least taking every possible step to reduce them—is a great first step to better health.
How to Eliminate Plastic Bottles From Your Life
Now that you know how dangerous plastic bottles can be to your health, how do you cut them out of your life?
Well, that depends on what you like to drink. If you just want to be able to enjoy a cool bottle of water while you’re out for a walk, all you need to do is buy a stainless steel water bottle and make sure you remember to bring it everywhere and refill it daily. You’ll probably leave it at home the first couple times, but eventually you’ll get used to carrying it around.
But what if you love soda? How do you avoid the terrible toxins in plastic bottles without giving up your beloved soda completely? You could turn to cans, but those are arguably worse for you and they’re definitely not good for the environment either.
If you truly love your soda and you’re not prepared to give it up but you’re eager to remove toxic plastics from your lifestyle, it’s a good idea to purchase a SodaStream Machine. These machines allow you to easily create your own soda. There are tons flavor options, and if they don’t have what you’re looking for you can easily make your own flavoring at home. Most models come with BPA free plastic bottles, but you can also get models that work with glass carafes.
Conclusion
Plastic bottles may not be as bad for you as cigarettes, but they certainly do have an impact on your life. If you’re concerned about your health and keeping your family healthy too, there’s no better time than right now to cut plastic out of your life. Whether you use a SodaStream so you can continue enjoying soda without plastic or choose to cut it all out together, you can rest assured that removing plastic from your life is better for everyone.