b'Red-Hot Cardio- BiobankonaboutCellular Plastic vascular Support500,000 men and wom- Plastichasbecomeubiquitousinthe Consumptionofchilien showed that regularEarthsenvironment.Itcomprisesthou-peppershasbeenfoundconsumptionofspicysands of everyday, single-use items includ-to reduce risk of mortalityfoodloweredtherisking food wrappers, linings in canned food, from all causes, and partic- oftotalmortalitybycandy wrappers, storage containers, carry ularlyfromcardiovascular14% and of death frombags,householditems,toys,cosmetics, disease(CVD).Astudy,ischemicheartdiseaseand other products too numerous to name, whichinvolvedalongi- by 22%. In the Nation- including food itself (e.g., margarine). Ac-tudinalanalysisof22,811al Health and Nutritioncording to the World Economic Forum, at participants enrolled in theExaminationSurveyleast eight million tons of plastic leak into Moli-sani Study from 2005- cohort (U.S.), consump- the ocean each year. Within five years, the 2010, in Italy, revealed that the health ben- tionofhotchilipeppersappearedtobeocean is expected to contain over one ton efits associated with chili-pepper intake areassociatedwitha13%reductionintotalof plastic for every three tons of fish, and independent of the overall quality of themortality risk. by 2050, more plastics than fish.diet, as measured by a traditional Mediter- Bonaccio M, Di Castelnuovo A, Costanzo S, et al.,When you eat a bite of food, or even take raneandiet,whichsuggestsanindepen- Chili Pepper Consumption and Mortality in Italianasipofwater,especiallybottledwater, dent effect of chili pepper toward mortalityAdults, Journal of the American College of Car- youre almost certainly ingesting some of risk. The beneficial effect of chili peppersdiology, Dec 24, 2019; 74(25):3139-3149, at https:// the tiny plastic particles known as micro-wasalsoapparentindependentoftypicaldoi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2019.09.068; Lv J, Qi L, Yu C,plastics. New research shows that micro-cardiovascular disease risk factors. Partic- et al., on behalf of the China Kadoorie Biobank col- plastic particles are absorbed from the gas-ipants who ate chilies more than four timeslaborative group, Consumption of Spicy Foods andtrointestinaltractandincorporatedinto per week had a 23% lower risk of all-causeTotal and Cause Specific Mortality: Population Basedthe tissues and even inside the cells. Cellu-mortalityanda34%lowerriskofCVDCohort Study, British Medical Journal, Aug 04,lar internalization, or absorption, can have mortality compared to those who rarely or2015;351:h3942,athttps://doi.org/10.1136/bmj. serious, although as yet undefined, health never ate chili peppers. h3942; Chopan M, Littenberg B, The Associationimplications, including DNA damage. of Hot Red Chili Pepper Consumption and Mortal- Plastics are hardly an inert substance. These findings were in agreement withity: A Large Population-Based Cohort Study, PLoSMost plastic contains chemicals with well-earlier studies from non-Mediterranean co- ONE, Jan 09, 2017; 12(1):e0169876, at https://doi. known adverse health effects. Bisphenols horts. Evidence from the China Kadoorieorg/10.1371/journal.pone.0169876. and phthalates are known to interfere with hormones. There are studies that link bi-less than a natural semiconductor, with asphenolexposuretoreducedfertilityin unique ability to accurately and coherentlymenandwomen.Prenatalexposureto transmit signals via quantum mechanicalphthalates is known to lower testosterone processes. DHA plays a central role in cog- inmaleoffspring.Microplasticparticles nition and is essential to formation of themay also contain polychlorinated biphe-brain and the eyes. Crawford contends thatnyls (PCBs), which have been found to be The unique molecular structure of DHAcarcinogenic, and to weaken the immune allows forthe cohesive, organized neuralsystem and the reproductive system. Sty-signaling which characterizes higher intelli- rene is another chemical commonly found gence. The team of scientists contends thatin plastic and some food packaging that is movement away from seafood in the diet isassociated with serious health issues, such responsible for an increase in mental-healthas nervous system problems, hearing loss, disorders.Withbraindisordershavingand cancer.overtaken all other burdens of ill-health in World Economic Forum, The New Plastics DHA or DNA? the West, a better understanding of DHAEconomyRethinkingthefutureofplas-A scientific hypothesis proposes that theand its function could help shed light ontics,WEFReportIndustryAgenda, essential fatty acid DHA (docosahexaeno- priorities in our nutritional needs.Jan 19, 2016, at http://www3.weforum.org/ic acid) preceded DNA as an organizingCrawfordM,BroadhurstC,CunnaneS,etal.,docs/WEF_The_New_Plastics_Economy.factor in the evolution of life. AccordingNutritional Armor in Evolution: Docosahexaeno- pdf; Ramsperger A, Narayana V, Gross W, to Michael Crawford, Director of the Insti- ic Acid as a Determinant of Neural, Evolution andet al., Environmental exposure enhances the tute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutri- Hominid Brain Development, Military Medicine,internalization of microplastic particles into tion, Imperial College, London, UK, DNA,Nov2014;179(11-Suppl.):6175,athttps://doi. cells,ScienceAdvances,Dec09,2020; which synthesizes all of the bodys pro- org/10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00246;AstaritaG,6(50):eabd1211,athttps://doi.org/10.1126/Jung K, Berchtold N, et al., Deficient Liver Biosyn- sciadv.abd1211; Galloway T, Cole M, Lewis C, teins, has from the primordial beginningthesis of Docosahexaenoic Acid Correlates with Cog- Interactions of microplastic debris through-of complex animal and human life takennitive Impairment in Alzheimers Disease, PLoSout the marine ecosystem, Nature Ecology its orders from the fatty acid DHA. Craw- ONE,Sep08,2010;5(9).e12538,athttps://doi. &Evolution,Apr20,2017;1(5):0116,at fords work asserts that DHA is nothingorg/10.1371/journal.pone.0012538. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0116.H ealtHF reedomN ews /w iNter2020 23'