There's Plastic In Our Bodies. Now What?

What if the plastic container you're heating your leftover lunch in is actively rewriting your hormones? Environmental chemist Dr Paul Harvey unpacks the terrifying reality of microplastics, explaining how these tiny particles act like "micro knives," physically scratching our delicate gut lining and leaching creepy, hormone-disrupting chemicals into our system. Food scientist Dr Emma Beckett also weighs in, offering a much-needed reality check on balancing plastic panic with actual food safety. Then, we dive into "matressence," the massive, identity-shifting transition into motherhood. It turns out "baby brain" isn't a myth or a social media trend; real neuroimaging shows a mother's brain structurally prunes its grey matter to specialise for a baby, right as estrogen and progesterone drop off a perimenopause-level cliff. GET IN TOUCH Sign up to the Well Newsletter to receive your weekly dose of trusted health expertise without the medical jargon. Email here or leave us a voice note here. Ask The Doc: Ask us a question in The Waiting Room. Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok. Support independent women’s media and get our biggest offer of the year. Subscribe here for 30% off your annual Mamamia subscription. Code applied at the checkout. Offer ends June 30. CREDITS Hosts: Grace Rouvray & Dr Mariam Guests: Dr Paul Harvey & Dr Emma Beckett Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy Audio Producer: Jacob Round Social Producer: Elly Moore Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on. Information discussed in Well. is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide professional medical advice. Listeners should seek their own medical advice, specific to their circumstances, from their treating doctor or health care professional.Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.