Are Forever Chemicals Wrecking Your Health?

Forever chemicals are found in many of the products we use daily as well as in the environment, including, possibly, the water you drink. Exposure to these chemicals can lead to health issues in some individuals, including reduced immune function, elevated cholesterol, thyroid problems, reproductive issues, weight gain, impaired growth in unborn babies and infants, and cancer.

Forever chemicals: What are they and where do they come from?

Forever chemicals are found in many of the household products you use daily: your non-stick cookware – think Teflon -, food packaging, stain-resistant fabrics, furniture & carpets, water-resistant clothing, cosmetics, and even the water you drink. While they have made our lives easier, this convenience comes with a price to your own health and the health of our environment.

Forever chemicals are scientifically known as Polyfluorinated Alkyls. Their unique chemical properties enable them to resist degradation and, thus, hang around “forever” in the environment and in your body. Environmental contamination in ground water has reached alarming proportions in recent years and is found in every state in the U.S.. In fact, in 2022 there were 2,858 contamination sites in the U.S. As of May 2024, there are now over 6,000 contamination sites. Contamination of communities occurs as a result of proximity to industrial sites, manufacturing facilities, military bases, airports, and sewage plants.

Forever chemicals: Are you at risk?

99% of all Americans have forever chemicals in their blood. Although individuals who work in industries which use forever chemicals (firefighters, military, employees of manufacturing plants, airports) are most at risk for their harmful effects, people who live in proximity to industrial, military, airports, and sewage treatment plants also have an elevated risk.

Forever chemicals: How can you find out if you have elevated levels & what can you do about high levels?

A simple blood test called PFA Panel is able to assess your level of forever chemicals. If your level is elevated, the functional medicine approach is able to address your individual risk and place you on a plan of care to safely remove them from your body.

Since these chemicals are found everywhere, it is impossible to be completely free of them. However, the functional medicine approach to health, along with diet and lifestyle changes are able to help you reduce your risk of exposure and development of toxicity-related illnesses.

References

PFAS “Forever Chemicals”: Types, Sources & Exposure | Quest® (questhealth.com)

What are PFAS chemicals? | Environmental Working Group (ewg.org)

Interactive Map: PFAS Contamination Crisis: New Data Show 6,189 Sites in 50 States (ewg.org)