By Dr. Shruthi Thennati | Kayakalpa Clinic, Vadodara
MBBS, MD, DipIBLM, PgDip Endocrine (UK)
General Physician | Metabolic Physician | Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner
Youâre holding a glass of crystal-clear water.
 It looks pure. Feels refreshing. But hidden in that innocent sip are tiny fragments of plasticâââthe same stuff used in bottles, clothes, and food packaging.
Now, imagine those microscopic particles making their way through your bloodstream, quietly lodging in your arteriesâââeven reaching your heart.
Sounds like science fiction?
Unfortunately, itâs science fact.
In a landmark NEJM (2024) study, researchers found microplastics inside human arteries, linked to a 4.5Ă higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or death.
 Nanoplastics were literally embedded within arterial plaquesâââthe kind we see every day in patients with heart disease.
This isnât just about ocean pollution or sea turtles anymore.
 Itâs about whatâs happening inside us.
Microplastics are everywhereâââin the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink.
 Every week, the average person consumes about 5 grams of plasticâââroughly the weight of a credit card.
Hereâs how they sneak in:
And once inside, they donât just sit quietly.
Microplastics are not inert. They trigger oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and cellular damage.
 They alter gut bacteria, disrupt hormone balance, and worsen insulin resistanceâââsetting the stage for chronic diseases like:
In short, they behave like the perfect storm for lifestyle diseases.
Just as we once underestimated the risks of tobacco, we may be underestimating the silent epidemic of microplastic exposure.
 Plastics carry toxic chemicalsâââphthalates, BPA, and PFAS (âforever chemicalsâ)âââthat mimic our hormones and confuse our metabolism.
 Even unborn babies arenât spared: microplastics have been detected in the placenta and breast milk.
Weâre no longer just polluting the planetâââweâre polluting ourselves.
Hereâs the good news: small, daily choices can dramatically reduce your plastic load.
Try this âanti-plastic prescriptionâ:
These arenât just eco-friendly movesâââtheyâre biochemical interventions for your future health.
At Kayakalpa, weâre exploring how AI can personalize prevention.
 Our upcoming tool, PlastiRisk AI, will help estimate your microplastic exposure riskâââbased on your lifestyle, environment, and diet.
 Itâs where science meets data, and prevention becomes personal.
Microplastics may be invisible, but their impact is anything but.
 Every sip, every breath, every meal matters.
So, the next time you reach for that bottle of waterâââremember: you might be hydrating⊠and plasticizing.
Choose wisely.
 Because health isnât just about what you eatâââitâs about what you unknowingly consume.
âDetox isnât a 3-day cleanseâââitâs a lifelong choice to live lighter, cleaner, and plastic-free.â
Visit: đ www.kayakalpa.in
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