Reduce your PFAS
PFAS exposure is a real issue for those who are exposed at work or live in areas with high levels of pollution. However, anyone can be unwittingly exposed to PFAS. So, how can you reduce your exposure?
Almost all non-stick cookware is coated in PFAS, which leach into your food if the surface is damaged
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Take out food and beverage containers often have PFAS coatings to make them grease resistant and waterproof
Both tap water and bottled water often contain PFAS. This makes water a common source of exposure.
Check if your furniture is stain resistant and replace it if needed
Fit filters to your water supply. Choose ones that are able to remove PFAS
Replace nonstick pans, especially if they are damaged
A lot of people are exposed to PFAS through their job, either . This makes it much harder to avoid exposure
Many professions are at risk from increased PFAS exposure. These include firefighters, members of the military and veterans, ski waxers, some chemical workers, and textile and carpet workers. In most cases, this is because there is a need to handle materials impregnated with PFAS or because of working in close proximity to sources of PFAS.
Until recently, virtually all firefighter turnout gear has been coated with numerous forms of PFAS. This was required in order to achieve the necessary performance. Newer PFAS-free alternatives are beginning to appear, but are still very rare. Another major source was aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs). These were entirely based on PFAS compounds until just a couple of years ago. Even now, many airport fire suppression systems are still riddles with PFAS.
PFAS coatings are frequently applied to fabrics and carpets. These include stain and grease-resistant coatings (designed to shed dirt and grease), durable water-repellent coatings, which help prevent fabrics from "wetting out", as well as coatings designed to provide a sheen to the fabric. As a result, anyone working extensively with textiles, carpets, or soft furnishings is at increased risk from PFAS exposure.
PFAS was widely used in firefighting applications, especially on military bases. This is now being phased out, but the PFAS compounds used may last for years in the human body. Organizations that monitor PFAS pollution define military bases as being high risk sites. In addition, military combat fatigues are often coated with PFAS DWR (durable water-repellant) and grease resistant coatings.
Evidence links long-term PFAS exposure with significant adverse health outcomes. These include several forms of cancer as well as reproductive health issues and organ damage among others. As a result, it is important to understand which PFAS substances are present in your body and in what quantities.
The Relentless Health PFAS Core Panel includes analysis of your blood for 18 different PFAS chemicals. Eight of the PFAS compounds are the same ones tracked by The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES):
The test also includes 10 other PFAS compounds that are commonly used in various consumer products and industrial processes, as well as found in some drinking water and the environment.
Relentless Health's toxin tests are available to be purchased and used by anyone in the United States, except for residents of the state of New York. This is due to New York's state regulations for lab testing. We hope to make our tests available in NY soon.
