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"People who love to eat are always the best people." - Julia Child
The Daily Tonic is a two to five minute read sharing science backed health news and tips, all while getting you to crack a smile or even lol on occasion.
Monday. We are halfway through May. Summer is so close you can feel it! Now, if these seasonal allergies would just go away before the first record-breaking heat wave, that would be great. Speaking of things that can make us feel less than our best, let’s talk about environmental toxins. We encounter toxins in our environment, food, and even in our beauty and household products. So what kind of impact is this having on our health, and what can we do about it? Let’s dive in.
Are Toxins Everywhere?
The short answer — yes, toxins are everyone.
Recent research suggests that environmental toxins, such as PFAS, phthalates, and EDCs, may be at least partially responsible for a slew of modern health issues, including decreasing sperm counts, a decrease in testosterone levels, anxiety, autism, and a rise in cancer rates. Unfortunately, these toxins are everywhere and can be found in everyday products such as shirts, detergents, soap, shampoo, paint, furniture, water, air, and even your underwear.
Shockingly, 92% of Americans have measurable phthalate levels in their body, linked to a 25%+ decrease in testosterone, and 97% have PFAS in their blood, linked to cancer, infertility, neurological conditions, and more. It also doesn’t seem to be a coincidence that we see the highest cancer rates in parts of the body that accumulate toxin exposure, such as breasts, testes/prostate, and lungs.
And if that’s not enough, these toxins also hurt our animal friends. In the last 30 years, we’ve seen salmon go extinct, a drop in testosterone among wild animals, and bug biomass go down more than 80%.
So why are these toxins so prevalent? In large part, it's because our very competent friends over at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have totally dropped the ball on regulation. The EU takes a “do no harm” approach, banning 1300+ chemicals and compounds that are allowed in the U.S. Here in the U.S., we like to assume that these entirely new chemicals are perfectly safe, leading to 40,000+ chemicals allowed in our food, water, and environment.
Only now, with PFAS in the bloodstream of 97% of Americans and glyphosate in 93% of Americans, are we starting to understand the impact of these chemicals on our health. Glyphosate, one of the most common herbicides, is a prime example of the devastating effects of invisible toxins on human health. Each year, 280 million pounds of glyphosate are sprayed on U.S. crops, while the same compound is banned in Europe beginning in 2024.
Glyphosate has been linked to adverse health effects, including being categorized as a "probable human carcinogen" by the World Health Organization. It has also been shown to exhibit an antibiotic effect that can destroy beneficial gut bacteria, damages the gut lining leading to possible autoimmune conditions, acts as a chelating substance that binds minerals and leeches them out of your body and is an endocrine disruptor that turns testosterone into estrogen.
Twenty-eight countries have banned the use of glyphosate entirely, and the EU has limited exposure to minuscule amounts. However, in the U.S., acceptable levels of glyphosate in water are seven thousand times that of the EU.
It’s the United States of America, baby! We love our sports, fast food, and, apparently, glyphosate.
The key takeaway? While it's important to be aware of environmental toxins and their impact on our health, it's also important not to stress too much over things out of our control. Taking small steps such as upgrading your socks and underwear, filtering your water, sweating in a sauna, buying organic, and upgrading your cleaning supplies and cookware can go a long way in reducing your exposure to toxins.
It's also crucial that we all start to advocate for better regulation of toxins and support brands prioritizing safe and environmentally friendly practices. This is how we can help protect our health, the health of future generations, and the health of our planet.
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Coffee Or Tea?
Trick question. The answer is both.
According to a 2021 study, drinking both coffee and tea could help protect your body against stroke and dementia. Over a 12-year period, the study followed more than 360,000 adults, with results showing that those who drank two to three cups of coffee and two to three cups of tea each day had a 32% lower risk of stroke and a 28% lower risk of dementia compared to those who did not drink either beverage.
Now before you start chugging coffee and tea, it is important to remember that this study can’t prove cause and effect. That said, it is worth noting that both coffee and tea are strong sources of polyphenols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
These properties help fight against the buildup of free radicals in the body, which can cause disease. Even decaf versions of these beverages were included in the study, with around 16% of participants reporting that they only drank decaffeinated coffees and teas.
While it’s unclear how the effect of decaf versions compares to caffeinated ones, it’s thought that the polyphenols in decaf could still have a beneficial effect.
So there you have it — coffee AND tea. That’s a welcome piece of good news as we head into the week. Just be prepared for more frequent trips to the restroom.
Tonic Shots
This is a tragic story, but unfortunately, here we are. A flesh-eating “zombie drug” called xylazine is spreading through the streets of Los Angeles with severe deadly effects when mixed with illicit opioids. Will we ever stop suffering from the impacts of the opioid crisis that Big Pharma got us into? Read more.
Looking for a recipe that is simple to make but feels fancy and luxurious? Impress your friends with this pasta dish at your next dinner party. Check out the recipe.
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