And they seem to lurk everywhere—in pesticides, cosmetics, and especially plastic packaging.

而它們似乎四處潛伏著：在殺蟲劑、化妝品，還有最常見的塑料包裝中。

In light of this, it's understandable to start panicking.

有鑑於此，開始恐慌是完全可以理解的。

But before you do, let's hear what molecular biologist Bruce Blumberg has to say on the subject.

但開始擔憂前，我們先聽聽分子生物學家 Bruce Blumberg 對這個議題的意見。

He's been studying the link between synthetic chemicals and obesity for around 15 years.

他進行合成化學物質與肥胖症之間關係的研究已經約 15 年了。

So he might be able to give us a better idea of what's really going on and what to do about it.

因此，他也許可以幫助我們更了解實際情況，並提供應對方案。

Bad news is, Blumberg confirmed that, yep, we're surrounded by these chemicals.

壞消息是，Blumberg 證實我們身邊確實充斥著這些化學物質。

One of the most well-known is BPA, or Bisphenol A, which shows up in water bottles, cans, milk cartons, and more.

其中一個最為人所知的化學物就是 BPA（酚甲烷），會出現在水瓶、罐頭、牛奶盒，還有其他容器中。

You get them from thermal paper receipts.

熱感應發票紙上也有這種化學物質。

Like I have... I have these receipts from a recent trip.

就像我手中這些最近旅遊時拿到的發票。

All of these things are coated with Bisphenol A.

這些東西都被裹上了一層酚甲烷。

It goes right into your skin.

它會直接滲入你的皮膚。

BPA has been making headlines for years about whether or not it's harming us.

酚甲烷對人體是否有害多年以來都是熱門議題。

And while FDA-funded and independent studies have conflicting conclusions, the bigger heart of the issue is this: BPA is hard to get away from, because it's a key building block in the tough, clear, flexible plastic called polycarbonate.

儘管美國食品藥物管理局（FDA）資助研究和獨立研究結果有衝突，但更大的核心問題是：BPA 是難以避免的，因為它是製造堅韌、透明、有彈性的塑膠（聚碳酸酯）的要素。

And that proximity to food is what concerns scientists like Blumberg.

而它與食物間的緊密接觸，正是 Blumberg 與其他科學家所擔憂的。

You don't wanna store food in plastics because some fraction of those plastics will leach into your food.

你不會想把食物存放在塑膠容器內，因為會有少量塑膠物質滲入食物當中。

The BPA molecules that make up plastic are bound together by what's called an ester bond, which is extremely sensitive to heat.

組成塑膠的 BPA 分子是由對熱極其敏感的酯鍵連接。

So, when you heat up your food in plastic, that heat breaks some of the bonds, releasing the chemicals into your food.

所以當你把食物放在塑膠容器內加熱，高溫會破壞這些化學鏈，並釋放化學物質到你的食物裡。

A survey by the CDC of 2,517 people estimated that over 90 percent of Americans have detectable levels of BPA in their urine.

根據美國疾病管制與預防中心（CDC）對 2,517 人所進行的一項檢測估計，超過 90% 的美國人尿液樣本中都驗出 BPA。

And BPA isn't alone.

而且不只是 BPA。

Phthalates, which make plastic flexible, can also leach into food when heated.

可以讓塑膠變得有彈性的鄰苯二甲酸鹽，在加熱時也可能滲進食物裡。

And reviews of hundreds of studies have linked BPA and phthalates to heart disease, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes.

數百項研究報告也都指出，BPA 和鄰苯二甲酸酯與心臟疾病、肥胖症和第二型糖尿病相關聯。

Not to mention, a 2015 review linked phthalates with impaired neurological development in children, which in 2018 prompted the American Academy of Pediatrics to announce that families should avoid plastic food containers entirely.

更不用提在 2015 年的一篇報告中指出，鄰苯二甲酸酯會損害兒童神經系統發育，這促使美國兒科學會於 2018 年宣佈，家中應該全面避免使用塑膠食品容器。

And other studies on animals like mice and monkeys have shown that these chemicals can lead to problems in the lungs, brains, and reproductive organs.

而其他針對老鼠和猴子等動物進行的實驗報告指出，這些化學物質會引發肺部、腦部和生殖器官問題。

This is about the time someone like me would probably panic.

這些足以令像我這樣的人感到不安。

But there are ways you can avoid these chemicals.

但還是有避免接觸這些化學物質的方法。

Blumberg suggests it's best to just stick to heating your food in anything but plastic.

Blumberg 建議加熱食物時最好選用塑膠以外的任何容器。

Now, quick aside, BPA-free plastic containers aren't the answer, because research suggests that BPS and BPF, the most common replacements for BPA, might have similar effects on your body.

順道一提，不含 BPA 的塑膠容器並不是最佳解答，因為研究顯示，最常見的 BPA 替代品 BPS 和 BPF 也可能會對身體產生類似影響。

Instead, opt for replacements like ceramic or glass containers.

因此，應該選擇陶製或玻璃容器為替代品。

You have to do the best you can, and it makes sense to me to do the things that give you the most return for the least effort.

你必須竭盡所能，對我來說，做些花費最少力氣就能換取最大回報的事情是合情合理的。

And here's the best part.

最好的消息是。

Once you reduce exposure, those chemicals slowly leave your body.

一旦開始減少接觸，這些化學物質就會慢慢排出體外。

As Blumberg says, they're stored in fat cells, which eventually die, and ultimately leave your system.

如 Blumberg 所說，這些化學物質被儲存在脂肪細胞內，最終這些細胞會死亡並排出體外。

Don't stress about it, alright?

不需要太緊張，知道嗎？

Do your best, and make conscious choices to improve things.

盡最大努力，並有意識地作出明智選擇以改善現況。