Why Is The Consumption of Nanoplastics Such a Big Deal?
Humans are exposed to an increasing amount of plastics everywhere, and the consequences of this fact is showing up in deteriorated health. From Tupperware, to shampoo bottles, drinking water, and toothbrushes, plastic has become a part of nearly every human activity. The issue is that the plastics are not staying outside of the body, instead they are being consumed and stored in the body in micro doses.
Plastics found in the human body are called micro plastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) and are cause for concern as research and studies have demonstrated detrimental effects on human physiology from cardiovascular diseases, reproductive disorders, as well as negative effects on regulated hormone production. (1)
Most piping in homes and businesses are made of plastic, which means that even if you avoid drinking out of a plastic bottle, you may still be consuming plastic in your tap water. Plastic is everywhere, and even if each individual is cognizant of avoiding it as much as possible, there still remains a heavy toll on health from uncontrollable environmental factors.
Each individual can do as much as they can to avoid the consumption of plastic, but what about the plastics consumed unknowingly, or plastics that remain in the body as plaque build up along the arteries?
Find out why there is so much plastic coursing through the human body, how this is affecting health, and how sauna use may potentially aid in ridding the body of the heavy load of micro plastics.
Why are Microplastics Creating a Health Crisis?
According to Science Direct, humans consume, on average, one credit card size worth of plastic per week, this translates to 50 grocery size bags per year. (2) This high quantity of micro plastic consumption is causing serious problems for people of all ages including children not yet born to mothers who have spent a lifetime consuming micro plastics.
Micro plastics consumed either via the skin, through liquid consumption, food, or simply by breathing, causes cytotoxicity, which simply means that the toxicity of the plastic makes its way into the individual cell. This is why every portion of the body from the colon, to placenta, to the heart, can be poisoned by nanoplastics. In fact, in recent years, scientists have found that nanoplastics are causing mutations in the structure of DNA. (3)
The New England Journal of Medicine published an article entitled: ‘Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events’ concluded the following:
“In this study, patients with carotid artery plaque in which MNPs (Micro and nano plastics) were detected had a higher risk of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause at 34 months of follow-up than those in whom MNPs were not detected.” (1)
Dr. Shanna Swan PhD of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is a world leader in the field of reproductive science. Her research has found that the amount of microplastics found in the foods that Americans consume is high enough to alter the physical appearance and function of sexual organs in younger generations. (4)
Dr. Swan’s body of research is deeply disturbing as it has traced the evolution of nanoplastics in humans over the courses of generations. Further, it is nearly impossible to function in modern society and avoid the consumption of micro plastics.
The negative risk to health and wellness for nearly everyone on earth, even those still in utero, is high because of the relentless absorption of plastic. Whether from your shower, your leftovers, or just the air you breathe, it may be impossible to fully avoid consuming plastics without a complete overhaul of societal structures. So, the real million dollar question is: How can we get rid of micro and nano plastics from our body once they are there?
Can Saunas Help Rid the Body of Microplastics?
It seems as if in addition to a few other detoxification methods, perhaps the most powerful way to eliminate microplastics from the body is through sweating. How you achieve the level of sweating to create a substantial difference on the plastic load you are personally carrying is not that important as long as you are able to reach a level of serious perspiration.
You may choose exercise, hot yoga, traditional saunas, sweat lodges, or infrared saunas. Among the most desired sources of heat for the purposes of detoxification is infrared light. This is because infrared light increases the body temperature to 101.5 degrees by penetrating into the soft tissues of the body. Because the air temperature does not need to reach as high a degree in infrared saunas to achieve elevated core body temperature, it is more comfortable to prolong the sauna session, which means that ultimately more sweating will occur. The more you are able to sweat, the more your body will be able to rid itself of toxicity within the cells of the body, as well as the hard plaque build-up along the arteries. (5)
Getting into a sauna or taking a hot yoga class at least 3-4 times a week for a minimum of 20 minutes may dramatically decrease your personal levels of nanoplastics and microplastics. Ideally, an infrared heat is used for detoxification, but any activity that induces copious sweating will help.
The Inescapable Omnipresence of Plastics Creates an Imperative Need for Regular Sauna Use
Until we reach a point as a society where we are no longer using pvc piping in our homes, schools, and offices; or until we reach a point where we can control the nanoplastics we inhale from our environment, there is not a whole lot each individual can do to avoid plastic consumption. Yes, perhaps by drinking out of glass containers instead of plastic ones, or purchasing a wooden toothbrush instead of a plastic one may help somewhat, the reality is that for even the most diligent of consumers it may not be possible to fully eliminate exposure to plastics from the environment.
The issue is the omnipresence of plastics in our collective environment, not just in our personal life choices. We can, however, make sure that we put active sweating on the top of our to do list. Whether you sweat while working out, during hot yoga or in a sauna, what matters most is that you SWEAT.
Saunas, sweat lodges, steam rooms are all examples of opportunities where you can increase the quantity of sweating that occurs. The more you are able to release fluids in this way, the higher the chances of ridding the body of nano plastics. By actively choosing to sweat at least 3-4 times per week, you may be able to save or prolong your own life, as well as those of your children.
If you do decide to use a sauna regularly please be sure to hydrate well before, during, and after each sauna session.
The most common cause of an underactive thyroid gland is Hashimoto’s disease. This autoimmune disorder affects 2% of the American population, most of whom are women. In addition to the health concerns that Hashimoto’s disease presents, the very symptoms of this debilitating condition may present an array of challenges that are difficult for sufferers to manage without support. (1)
Difficulty conceiving a child, weight gain, hair loss, brittle fingernails, joint pain, and lack of energy are all symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland, and can lead many individuals into states of depression and feelings of hopelessness. (2)
Fortunately, there are a vast array of treatments available for individuals living with Hashimoto’s disease. This orchestra of treatment protocols may involve pharmaceutical prescription drugs, nutrition, and a variety of alternative treatments including, perhaps, regular infrared sauna use. While many forms of heat therapy may improve symptoms, infrared saunas use both the medicine of heat and light to ameliorate thyroid function in both direct as well as correlative capacities.
This article will discuss infrared sauna, not as a singular modality in the treatment of Hashimoto’s disease, but rather as one portion of a holistic concert of therapies to incorporate into your daily and weekly protocol to improve thyroid function.
Endocrine Disruptors & Hashimoto’s Disease: Induce Sweating for Individuals Who Have a Hard Time Perspiring Naturally for Full Detoxification
While many of the benefits afforded to Hashimoto patients by infrared saunas are powerful, they may only be correlative, however, distinct from this grouping is the unusual power of a far infrared sauna to detoxify the body of endocrine disruptors. This may be among the most important reasons why someone with an underactive thyroid would want to add infrared sauna use to their treatment protocol.
A peer reviewed journal published by the National Library of Medicine entitled, ‘Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Thyroid Cancer’, explains in detail what exactly an endocrine disruptor actually is:
“Endocrine disruptive chemicals (EDC) are known to alter thyroid function and have been associated with increased risk of certain cancers.” (4)
Unfortunately, this same journal goes on to explore the variety of endocrine disruptors in our collective environment, and the data is not great. From pesticides, to nanoplastics (microplastics consumed and stored in the body), to heavy metals, airborne pollutants, as well as harmful substances found in food and drinking water can all serve as endocrine disruptors. (4)
Regardless of whether an individual is living with a thyroid dysfunction, the reality is that endocrine disruptors are unavoidable on our planet today. The positive news is that the human body is designed to detoxify itself from harmful substances. The issue is when there is a toxic overload. This problem is compounded when an individual is living with Hashimoto’s disease because sweating is typically problematic, and constipation can also be present at times.
There are four main ways individuals are able to detoxify their bodies from harmful toxins: Urine, Stool, Respiration, and Sweat. The first two rely heavily on the kidneys and liver to detoxify the body. As mentioned previously it can be difficult for individuals living with hypothyroidism to sweat at the same rate as others. Active perspiration is an excellent way to detoxify the body, and relieve the internal organs from all of the heavy lifting.
Far infrared saunas are excellent for individuals living with Hashimoto’s disease for detoxification for two primary reasons. Firstly, the source of heat is an invisible light frequency that heats the body up from the inside out. This allows the internal body temperature to maintain an “artificial fever” of 101.5 degrees for an extended period of time and encourages perspiration to occur in individuals who otherwise would not be able to sweat.
The second reason why infrared saunas are so important for individuals needing to rid the body of endocrine disruptors is because when sweat is examined after an infrared sauna compared to exercise, there are significantly more toxins found in the sweat of someone who has used a far infrared sauna, than someone who has perspired from exercise.
This ability to detoxify is the reason why far infrared saunas have been incorporated into fire halls across the nation as part of a fire fighter’s detoxification protocol after a fire call. The reality is that far infrared saunas are better at ridding the body of endocrine disruptors through sweat than any other method of inducing the process of perspiration. (5)
For someone who must preserve the integrity of their thyroid function, it is paramount that they rid the body of endocrine disruptors in the most efficient and effective way possible, and research has shown that the most effective way to do this is through far infrared saunas. (5)
*** The research presented by the National Institute of Health measured the urine of firefighters after a practice (while this was not a “true” 911 call, the fire and toxic exposure were real) call. The control group did not take a far infrared sauna as a portion of the post call fire wash down, while the other group did. When the urine samples of the firefighters were examined the control group (no sauna) had significantly higher levels of toxins present then those who did take the sauna. As a result of this study, the entire city of Minneapolis supplies far infrared saunas to their municipal fire halls. As a side note, saunas.org offers the same saunas used in the study mentioned above. (5)
Improve Experience of Hashimoto’s Symptoms with These Sauna Benefits:
Reduced Inflammation
Boosting Weight Loss
Improved Mitochondrial Metabolism
Autonomic Nervous System Balance
Improved Sleep
Activating Immune Response
If you are looking to improve the overall quality of life for someone living with Hashimoto’s disease, infrared saunas may help directly by aiding in the expulsion of endocrine disruptors, and indirectly by helping to improve many of the body’s natural healing processes.
Reduce Inflammation: Lessen Joint Pain
The process of taking any sauna, regardless of the source of heat, will elicit the engagement of a strong cardiovascular response as the body works to cool itself off. This process mimics moderate exercise, despite a sedentary position. As the heart rate increases, more blood is circulated throughout the body. Where there is positive blood circulation there is a reduction of inflammation.
As inflammation is reduced, the individual will notice a significant reduction in the experience of pain around the joints. Furthermore, during an infrared sauna session, cytokines are released that help to reduce inflammation. A reduction of the presence of inflammation in the body may augment thyroid function. (6)
Some individuals early in the stages of treating Hashimoto’s disease may find exercise to be challenging, so having access to a sauna can help to mimic many of the biological benefits of exercise.
Elicit Weight Loss
Some individuals living with Hashimoto’s disease may experience challenges in attaining an ideal weight. This is due to a maladaptive response of the thyroid gland, as well as chronic inflammation. Saunas can be a great way to lose weight without putting too much stress on the adrenal glands and other portions of the endocrine system. During a sauna the internal temperature of the body will increase, so very quickly a variety of the body’s systems will begin to work towards cooling the body down. This process requires significant amounts of energy. So, contrary to popular belief, saunas may help an individual to lose unwanted weight because of the energy used during a sauna, not the fluid lost through sweating.
Improve Mitochondrial Metabolism
If the goal is to improve mitochondrial metabolism via a sauna, then your sauna will need to include near infrared heating panels (these can be found in a full spectrum infrared sauna), as well as color light therapy or chromotherapy. The color light must be turned to the visible spectrum of red. The combination of near infrared light and red light causes a phenomenon known as photobiomodulation. The membrane of the mitochondria has photoreceptors that are sensitive to red and near infrared light, and the net effect of exposure to these wavelengths of light positively alter the life-death cycle of cells.
Many professionals believe that one root cause of some auto-immune disorders may be an imbalance in mitochondrial metabolism that affects how quickly specific cells are regulated. The most apparent example of this is seen in psoriasis where the skin cells are replicating too quickly, cell replication must be in balance for health to exist in the body. It is possible that photobiomodulation may be helpful in taming other autoimmune disorders such as Hashimoto’s disease.
Balance the Autonomic Nervous System
Behind many autoimmune disorders is a dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system. Colloquially speaking, individuals will notice a rapid increase in symptom expression when they are under a lot of ‘stress’. This means that their body is in a state of biological stress response and is releasing stress hormones to an excessive amount, hindering normal functioning.
Pushing the toggle switch back from states of high stress in sympathetic dominance and back into states of rest, relaxation, and healing, known as parasympathetic dominance, can be challenging when the body is flooded with stress hormones. The thyroid gland is an integral portion of the endocrine system, and a lack of engagement can make relaxation difficult to attain.
Any type of heat therapy will elicit heat stress, or hormesis, which is a positive and controlled level of stress on the body. By engaging the body in the hormetic effects via a sauna session, it is as if the slingshot is pulled back in a steady and controlled manner into levels of stress, only to toss the nervous system back into parasympathetic dominance where the body’s natural healthing mechanism can begin to engage.
Improve Sleep
Regular sauna use may improve sleep not only by encouraging the autonomic nervous system back into states of relaxation, but also by working with the body’s circadian rhythm. To improve sleep via sauna use it is recommended to use your sauna in the evening. By increasing the internal body’s temperature before bed, the falling asleep process may happen more easily.
A significant portion of falling asleep is actually the body’s temperature dropping down, and waking up is related to the elevation of the body’s temperature. After a sauna session, the sleepiness that an individual may experience is the lowering of the internal body temperature.
If you do plan to use a sauna to help fall asleep at night time and to improve thyroid function, make sure that you take the sauna an hour before bedtime. Shower off, and slip into your nightwear – engaging only in relaxing activities.
Ameliorate Immune Function
Hashimoto’s disease is an immune mediated disorder, and among several benefits that all sauna use may have on overall immune function is the ability to upregulate Heat Shock Protein (HSP) production. There are many different types of heat shock proteins, and just like their name suggests, they are produced when the body is put into situations of heat stress (as well as cold stress). HSPs are directly related to T-Cell activation, which may positively affect those living with autoimmune disorders. (7)
The journal Frontiers in Immunology published a multi-authored study that dives deeply into inflammatory autoimmune disorders and discusses at length the importance of the healthy production of HSPs:
“the conclusion is that HSPs are responsible for the activation of innate immune cells as well as T cells through TLR signaling pathways” (7)
Regardless of whether an autoimmune disorder is present, anyone looking to improve both the innate as well as the adaptive immune system, would do well to engage in some form of thermal therapy (including cold) as well as, or in addition to, regular sauna use.
The depth of the complex nature of the thousands of HSP categorizations and their specific function as it relates to Hoshimoto’s disease is well beyond the purpose of this article, and for individuals wishing to read the full publication they can do so by reviewing the sources cited below, or by clicking on this link:
The Use of Infrared Saunas May Help to Improve the Overall Quality of Life for Individuals Living With Hashimoto’s Disease
There is significant research available today that indicates that the regular and ongoing use of infrared saunas may directly and indirectly benefit the lives of individuals living with Hashimoto’s disease, or any thyroid adjacent dysregulation.
Certainly, far infrared saunas have been shown at the clinical level to far exceed any other modality in the area of detoxification of endocrine disruptors, which is necessary for the best possible function of the thyroid gland.
In addition, there are several other correlative benefits to using a full spectrum infrared sauna regularly, which means habitually using a sauna for at least 20 minutes 3-4 times per week to receive maximum benefit.
It is crucial that if anyone plans to take on the habitual use of saunas that hydration becomes a priority. The average individual will lose a pint of fluid for every 20 minutes that they spend in the sauna. This may be less for individuals who have difficulty sweating, but nevertheless, proper hydration with high quality fluids is essential when using a sauna.
This article is not a substitute for professional medical care, nor should saunas be viewed as the only treatment for Hoshimoto’s disease. The information shared in this article is meant to be used in conjunction with a concert of modalities, both pharmaceutical and otherwise, as directed by your medical team.
If you are uncertain about the risks involved with using a sauna, please always consult with your primary care physician or medical specialist.
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