Microplastics: Avoid, Counteract Exposure + Checklist Guide to Healthier Swaps  

Microplastics

Who could have imagined that we must now monitor the harm in what our clothing sheds or what lurks in our lunchbox and its food, or the tools we use at school, at home and work as well as our bodies and our oceans? Plastic, once the innovative miracle of its time that benefited our lifestyles and economy is now a hazard. Team Moondust’s post covers how to now avoid, recover from and substitute plastic, as well as its role as a cancer connected pollutant. Read on for tips and a checklist of swaps to reduce our exposure to microplastics. 

What are Microplastics? 

Definition at its simplest is: Tiny plastic particles under 5 mm in size. 

The fragments are shed from packaging, bottles, bags, clothing and carpets made from plastic. The health impact is profound as the particles are found in blood, brain, lungs, and arteries where they lodge and can block function as well as contribute to inflammation, hormone disruption, and tissue buildup. 

The problem is that they persist in the body and environment, and they are indeed everywhere – and because plastics don’t break down naturally, they build up in the environment and eventually enter the food chain. That means humans, animals, and plants are all being exposed to them.  

According to Dr. Moondust as detailed in a chapter of her book “Apoptosis: A Key Trigger for Carcinogenesis”

“One of the most concerning plastics is vinyl chloride, used to make PVC (pipes, packaging, medical devices, etc.). Studies going back decades have shown that vinyl chloride can damage DNA, interfere with how cells grow and die, and directly cause cancers—especially of the liver, but also the lungs, kidneys, brain, and blood. Workers exposed to vinyl chloride in the past developed rare cancers, which forced stricter safety rules. But now, because plastics are so widespread, everyday people are being exposed in smaller but ongoing ways.”

See Dr. Moondust’s video presentation on plastics to the 37th International Conference on Biomedical & Cancer Research here. 

Scientists have found that microplastics and their chemical byproducts can: 

  • Enter cells and disrupt normal functions. 
  • Cause DNA damage, which is the first step toward cancer. 
  • Trigger inflammation and oxidative stress, which are also linked to cancer. 
  • Interfere with genes that control cell growth and repair. 

This is why the issue goes beyond pollution or litter. Plastics are not just an environmental hazard—they may also pose a direct risk to human health by contributing to cancer. Reducing plastic use, recycling properly, and turning back to natural alternatives (like glass, cloth, or biodegradable materials) can help lower this risk. 

A Checklist of what we can do about microplastics 

Team Moondust has compiled a comprehensive action list to help us deal with microplastics in our environment. This means our homes, workplaces, personal choices and the larger environment in our communities.  

The aim of the action checklist is to:  

  • Avoid or reduce plastic exposure 
  • Swap everyday items out for safer ones  
  • Counteract exposure by supporting our natural detox systems 

The Team tackled the reduction alongside the swaps and organized them into ‘zones’ of safety to work on make as clean a sweep as possible given time, cost and personal lifestyle and needs. Take a look and see what you can do and the reward of working on a cleaner, safer environment.  

Zone 1 Kitchen & Food Storage 

  • Avoid plastic water bottles – They leach microplastics and chemicals into drinking water. 
  • Use stainless steel or glass bottles – Safer and reusable alternative. 
  • Ditch plastic food containers – Heat and wear release microplastics into food. 
  • Switch to glass or stainless containers – Durable, safe, and long-lasting. 
  • Avoid plastic wrap – Breaks down into micro plastic fragments. 
  • Use beeswax wraps or silicone lids – Safer and reusable options. 
  • Skip single-use coffee pods – Made of layered plastic and aluminum. 
  • Brew with a French press or stainless filter – Waste-free and reusable. 
  • Use ceramic, stainless steel, or cast-iron cookware – Avoid non-stick coatings. 
  • Don’t microwave food in plastic – Heat accelerates chemical leaching. 
  • Filter water where possible – Reduces plastic particles and chemical residues. 
  • Choose plastic-free tea bags, coffee filters, and dishwasher pods – Everyday swaps reduce exposure. 

Zone 1A The Eating Out & On-the-Go Version for busy folks 

  • Say no to plastic straws – They break into microplastics and pollute waterways. 
  • Choose stainless steel or bamboo straws – Reusable and eco-friendly. 
  • Skip plastic cutlery – Single-use plastics create lasting waste. 
  • Carry metal or bamboo utensils – Reusable and lightweight. 
  • Say no to plastic bags – Major contributor to ocean plastic pollution. 
  • Bring cloth or mesh reusable bags – Washable and long-lasting. 

Zone 2 Bathroom & Personal Care 

  • Replace plastic toothbrushes – Billions end up in landfill and oceans. 
  • Switch to bamboo toothbrushes – Compostable and plastic-free. 
  • Avoid liquid soaps in plastic bottles – Creates unnecessary packaging waste. 
  • Use bar soap or refill stations – Minimal or no plastic packaging. 
  • Avoid glitter and microbead cosmetics – Tiny plastics that never biodegrade. 
  • Use natural exfoliants (sugar, salt, oats) – Gentle and biodegradable. 
  • Choose wooden or metal hairbrushes – Avoid plastic shedding and landfill waste. 
  • Use organic cotton hygiene products – Prevent hormone-disrupting plastic absorption. 

Zone 3 Clothing & Laundry  

  • Limit synthetic clothing (polyester, nylon, and acrylic) – Fibers shed microplastics in every wash. 
  • Opt for natural fabrics (cotton, linen, wool) – Biodegradable and non-shedding. 
  • Use a laundry filter or bag – Captures microfibers from synthetic clothes before they reach waterways. 

Zone 4 Kitchen and Roaming Cleaning Activity 

  • Avoid non-stick pans (Teflon coatings) – Release toxic microplastics when degraded. 
  • Choose stainless steel or cast-iron pans – Durable, safe cooking alternatives. 
  • Skip bottled cleaning products – Plastic-heavy and often non-recyclable. 
  • Use concentrated or refillable cleaners – Cuts down plastic packaging and plastic footprint 
  • Install HEPA filters at home – Capture dust and airborne microplastics. 

How to Counteract Microplastics?    

There are daily habits as well as food, supplement and lifestyle choices you can help fortify you against exposure and any damage from microplastics. Here are some options that are now in place:   

Gut & Digestion 

1. Glutamine (Gut Protection) that strengthens gut lining to block microplastics from entering the bloodstream. It is found in supplements, bone broth, collagen peptides, and grass-fed beef. 

2. Soluble Fiber binds microplastics in the gut and carries them out in stool. Think: chia seeds, glucomannan (konjac root made into noodles, rice), carrots, sauerkraut, chicory root. 

Detox Pathways 

3. Proper Hydration as it supports kidneys in filtering out plastics and chemical residues. Suggested 2L/day from glass or stainless-steel bottles. 

4. Lymphatic Drainage moves waste and particles out of tissues. Boost it by walking, deep (diaphragmatic) breathing, yoga, rebounding, hot/cold showers, even light hand massage on body parts heavy with lymph nodes. Just keep that lymph moving through movement especially after sleeping when it just pools from resting all night. 

5. Increase Sulfur as it is understood to help the liver detoxify fat-soluble plastic chemicals (like BPA, PFAS). Think of menu items like garlic, onions, leeks, eggs, cruciferous vegetables. 

Body Systems 

6. Deep Sleep is always recommended as it activates the brain’s glymphatic system to clear microplastics. (It is believed that we already have almost the size of a plastic teaspoon of plastic lodging in our brains). Aim for 7–9 hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep is essential. 

7. Activate Autophagy now well-known due to the fasting trend of 18 hours, 1–2 times/week. This encourages cells to recycle pollutants. It is enhanced by polyphenol-rich foods (green tea, turmeric, berries).  

8. Beta-Glucans is a fiber that helps excrete “forever chemicals.” Find it easily in mushrooms (shiitake, reishi, lion’s mane), oats. A couple of mushrooms even every other day will do it and is also credited with supporting breast health.  

9. Sweat It Out as toxins including BPA and phthalates exit through sweat (not just urine). Try it as exercise, hot baths, or sauna use. 

10. Enhance Your Microbiome as some gut bacteria may break down plastics. Add support with probiotics and fermented foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir). 

11. Safer Kitchen Swaps SEE ABOVE in Kitchen Zone Swaps In general, avoid synthetic fabrics (nylon, polyester, acrylic, elastane) and choose cotton, wool, linen, silk, hemp instead. 

Choose what you can do and add good habits and swap lesser habits or products as you can.  For more tips on health, food and posts on our environment see Dr. Moondust’s blogs and videos to enrich your life check the website and our socials!      

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