Micro plastics, Macro Concerns: Protecting Your Family's Health with Dr. Kara Meister

Practically Healthy by Dr. Melina

In this episode, Dr. Kara Meister, Co- Clinical Chief of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Stanford who also runs a lab exploring some of the tough questions about plastics and children’s health, discusses her research on microplastics in children's tonsils. She found microplastics in almost every sample, including Teflon, polyethylene, and polystyrene. The presence of plastics in the environment, particularly in food packaging and household dust, is concerning and Dr. Meister discusses some of the associations with brain health, heart health, inflammation and autoimmune disease. She emphasizes practical steps to reduce exposure, such as avoiding heating plastics, using natural fibers, and minimizing single-use plastics. She encourages listeners not to panic, and she highlights the importance of maintaining a balanced diet and lifestyle to optimize health, despite the challenges in proving causation between plastics and health outcomes.