In this Think Thursday episode, Molly explores the growing field of environmental neuroscience and what new research is uncovering about microplastics and brain health. Microplastics are everywhere—from oceans and soil to food and even the air we breathe. While they have long been recognized as an environmental issue, scientists are now finding evidence that they may also influence how the brain functions and ages.
Molly explains how microplastics can interact with the brain through inflammation, oxidative stress, and disrupted signaling. She shares a striking new study linking microplastic exposure in genetically vulnerable mice to Alzheimer’s-like changes, and she unpacks what this might mean for humans. Alongside the science, Molly offers practical strategies to reduce exposure and emphasizes that protecting your brain is about progress, not perfection.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- What microplastics are and how they enter our bodies
- Why researchers are concerned about their effects on the brain
- The role of neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and disrupted signaling in everyday symptoms like brain fog and mood changes
- How environmental exposures may interact with genetic risk factors for dementia
- Seven practical steps you can take to reduce microplastic exposure in daily life
Key Quote
“Protecting your brain is never about one big thing. It is about many small things working together. Alcohol, sleep, stress, nutrition, and yes, even the environment, are all parts of the same ecosystem.”
Resources and References
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What is Alcohol Minimalist: Mindful Drinking & Behavior Change?
Join coach Molly Watts on the Alcohol Minimalist Podcast to explore mindful drinking, behavior change, and mental wellness. This show offers science-based strategies to help you break drinking habits and overcome anxiety linked to alcohol use. Whether you're an adult child of alcoholics or seeking peace with your drinking, discover tools for lasting change without shame or guilt. New episodes every Monday and Thursday.
Becoming an alcohol minimalist means:
Choosing how to include alcohol in our lives following low-risk guidelines.
Freedom from anxiety around alcohol use.
Less alcohol without feeling deprived.
Using the power of our own brains to overcome our past patterns and choose peace.
The Alcohol Minimalist Podcast explores the science behind alcohol and analyzes physical and mental wellness to empower choice. You have the power to change your relationship with alcohol, you are not sick, broken and it's not your genes!
This show is intended for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. If you are physically dependent on alcohol, please seek medical help to reduce your drinking.