Well, for starters, the 91 brain samples in the study all contained more plastic particles than the other organs of those bodies and the amount of pollution in the deceased bodies increased between 2016 to 2024.

Indicating, together with all other form of health, and environmental data we have that this is only going to get worse.

Plastic pollution in the knee, and elbow joints.

This is not a unique study, however, other recent studies have found plastic pollution in knee and elbow joints, testicles, pancreas, lungs, our blood, and pretty much every human organ there is.

So the question becomes, what can you do since our ruling politicians and corporations refuse to act responsively while they carve their profit on your health woes and our crumbling planet?

You can choose healthy, and safe tap water instead of bottled water and drinks, and if your municipality has failed at providing safe, clean, and drinkable tap water only to offset the production of essential fluids to profit chasing, and harmful bottled water and beverage companies, demand better from your county, city and nation.

And demand it now.

You can opt for whole foods instead of eating out or endlessly buying premade foods. The more processed the food, the more exposure it has had to plastic particles and pollution from the human production chain. Not to mention the lackluster nutritional makeup of restaurant food and premade storebought foods compared to the high-protein, high-satiety, and nutritionally complete foods you can whip up at home.

You should further choose foods without unnecessary plastic wraps and packaging and demand more of that in the stores since this is sadly an endangered rarity.

You can buy and drive less personal cars and travel more by public transport.

You can opt for clean, and sustainable energy instead of fossil fuel and natural gas. And you should demand national energy producers to be forced to transform their dirty grid right now.

You can say no to fast fashion and buy fewer brand-new clothes and gadgets at large. Keep your stuff longer, and fix what can be fixed instead of throwing it away.

All this is basic, but really solid lifestyle changes you can do.

These small choices will not make the real problem go away since plastic pollution is a man-made problem that exists all around us by now.

It is found in the air we breathe, the clothes we dress in, the water we drink and swim in, the animals we farm, the lands that grow our crops, the cars that transport us, the gravel and tires of roads and cars, paint, fossil fuels and all.

Plastic pollution is sadly found these days in the deepest parts of every ocean, and the peaks and valleys of every mountain and country. It is found in the salt we add to our food, it is found inside of every human beings bloodstream, inside the tummies of whales and birds.

The problem is humanity, and the solution that is needed is a system-wide change to proper, perpetual sustainability.

Perpetual sustainability at home, in our individual lifestyles, and out there in society at large, across every city and country across this entire globe, we call our home.

A major global shift will take time, of course, but the changes you can do today you really should do today, because this is about our health right today and tomorrow. We are not talking about a far away distant future.

The ongoing impact is already here, and your health is already suffering.

So as it is with our need to eat healthy high-protein foods in a healthy amount and energy balance while we exercise enough every single week for the rest of our life in order to not turn into boneless piles of dying unhealth, this problem too exists today and neither of us can afford to delay the essential changes we can and have to individually make in order for change to happen for us personally.

So as Nike likes to say, just do it.

No matter if that is you cementing your gym habits in stone, eating more whole plant-based foods, piling up more protein, taking longer walks, or kicking that gas stove to the curb and replacing your car with a public transit card, deleting your fast-fashion phone app and voting for a politician that understands the need for healthy tap water and clean energy production.

What you can do today shouldn’t be pushed into the unknown future because that delayed change only perpetuates the problem further.

We also published this article over at Medium, read it here if you enjoy the Medium reading experience.