Are Forever Chemicals Really Forever?

[View this email in your browser]( Are Forever Chemicals Really Forever? PFAs, AKA perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are called forever chemicals because they don’t break down over time in the environment or in your body. They hang around with the potential to make trouble—and they’re everywhere. Since the 1950s, they’ve been used to coat the inside of pizza boxes and other food packaging to prevent oily leaks and keep moisture out; to make clothing, carpets and upholstery stain-resistant; and to improve the texture or create a sheen in nail polish, mascara and sunscreen. They even show up in toilet paper! Action Steps to Reduce Your Exposure While the federal government and industry try to figure out how to remove PFAs from a wide range of products, there are steps you can take to reduce your exposure. · Avoid clothing and fabrics marked “stain resistant,” “waterproof,” or “wear-resistant.” · Vacuum frequently to remove PFA-laden dust from your home. · Run HEPA air filters in your central air system or use free-standing air filters in living areas and bedrooms. · Use a water filter that works with activated carbon and/or reverse osmosis to remove about 90% of PFAs from your drinking water. Helping your body reduce the burden of pollutants There are no proven ways to remove PFAs from your body, but it might be helpful overall to take steps to remove other pollutants, such as heavy metals. [Modified citrus pectin]( is a fiber obtained from the peels, seeds and pulp of citrus fruits. Small studies suggest it may help to increase excretion of some heavy metals, such as lead, arsenic and cadmium. [Try Modified Citrus Pectin]( Recipe: Crispy Tofu Salad A few preliminary animal studies suggest that cilantro may also help slow the deposition of heavy metals in bones. So if you enjoy its flavor (about 20% of folks don’t—they have a gene that makes it taste like soap) try integrating it into some of your meals! It's easier than you might think to incorporate cilantro into your diet—try [Daphne Oz's Crispy Tofu Salad]( from her latest book [Eat Your Heart Out:]( No-Fuss Food to Celebrate Eating Clean](. [Get the Recipe]( Know someone who might be interested in this newsletter? Please share it with them! [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Copyright © 2023 ZoCo Productions LLC, All rights reserved. You're receiving this email because you signed up for The Good Dish newsletter. Our mailing address is: ZoCo Productions LLC 555 W 57th St.New York, NY 10019 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](.