Beyond Plastic: where science meets consciousness

About Beyond Plastic: where science meets consciousness

"Beyond Plastic: where science meets consciousness" is a journey into the science of living well and the wisdom of living deeply. Hosted by cardiologist, author, and TEDx speaker Dr. Elie Haddad, the podcast explores the intersection of modern medicine, environmental health, longevity, consciousness, and the deeper questions that shape the way we live. Drawing from decades in medicine and a lifelong curiosity about the human experience, Dr. Elie moves beyond symptoms and diagnoses to explore the connections between our bodies, our environment, our minds, and our inner lives. Through science, storytelling, and reflection, each series invites us to question what we take for granted, understand the forces shaping our health, and make more conscious choices for ourselves and the world around us. The journey begins with The Plastic Age, a series tracing the extraordinary rise of plastic from a revolutionary invention to one of the defining materials of our civilization. We’ll explore how it reshaped the way we live, how micro- and nanoplastics found their way into our environment and our bodies, what emerging science is revealing about their impact on human health, and what we can realistically do about it. Future series will venture into longevity, wellness, consciousness, resilience, purpose, and the evolving science and wisdom of what it means to live a healthier, more meaningful life. Because living well is about more than adding years to our lives. It is about bringing more life into our years.

Publisher

Dr. Elie Haddad

Category

science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Aug 2026

Latest episode

27 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

14 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Oct 2026

   Who Am I, Really? | The Sacred Unknown

   Who are you beyond your name, your memories, your beliefs, and the roles you play in life? In the opening episode of The Sacred Unknown, a new series from Beyond Plastic, Dr. Elie explores one of humanity’s oldest and most profound questions: Who am I, really? Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and the wisdom of spiritual teachers such as Ramana Maharshi, Mooji, and Richard Rudd, we examine how the brain constructs our sense of identity, the difference between our thoughts and our awarene...

2. 

   18 Oct 2026

   The Plastic Age: What We Know, What We Can Change | Season Finale

   Episode 13 After twelve episodes exploring how microplastics enter our bodies and what they may be doing to our health, we arrive at the final chapter of The Plastic Age. In this season finale of Beyond Plastic, Dr. Elie Haddad addresses the questions that matter most: Can our bodies eliminate microplastics? Is there any scientific evidence behind the growing claims of microplastic detoxification? And what can we realistically do to protect ourselves and our families? We examine what sc...

3. 

   11 Oct 2026

   Plastic, the Immune System and Chronic Inflammation

   Could the plastic particles inside our bodies be triggering an inflammatory response? In this episode of Beyond Plastic, Dr. Elie Haddad explores how microplastics and nanoplastics interact with the immune system and why scientists are investigating their potential role in chronic inflammation. We examine research showing how plastic particles can activate immune cells, stimulate inflammatory cytokines, and trigger oxidative stress. We also explore the possible connections to cardiovascular d...

4. 

   5 Oct 2026

   Plastic and The Gut Microbiome, Intestines, and Liver

   Episode 11 — Plastic, the Intestines, Gut Microbiome and Liver What happens to plastic after we swallow it? In this episode of Beyond Plastic, Dr. Elie follows microplastics through the digestive system and explores what the emerging science is revealing about their interaction with the intestinal lining, the gut microbiome, and the liver. We look at human studies finding microplastics in intestinal tissue, changes associated with the gut microbiome, and the intriguing connection between micr...

5. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Plastic and the Developing Fetus

   Microplastic exposure may begin before we ever take our first breath. In this episode of Beyond Plastic, Dr. Elie explores the growing evidence that microplastics can reach the placenta, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, and even a newborn’s first stool. What happens when these particles reach a developing fetus? We examine the emerging research on placental function, fetal growth, inflammation, oxidative stress, and developmental effects, while separating what has been demonstrated in hu...

6. 

   20 Sept 2026

   Plastic and Female Reproductive Health

   Microplastics have now been detected in the human female reproductive system—including ovarian follicular fluid, the environment surrounding a developing egg. In Episode 9 of Beyond Plastic, Dr. Elie Haddad examines the emerging science on micro- and nanoplastics and female reproductive health. We explore their presence in the ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes; new human data linking higher levels of certain plastics with diminished ovarian reserve; and experimental evidence suggesting effe...

7. 

   13 Sept 2026

   Plastic and Male Fertility

   Microplastics are no longer only an environmental concern. They have been detected in human blood, organs, reproductive tissues—and now, in the male reproductive system. In Episode 8 of Beyond Plastic, Dr. Elie Haddad examines the emerging science connecting micro- and nanoplastic exposure with male reproductive health. We explore their presence in human testicular tissue and semen, what experimental research suggests about effects on sperm quality, testosterone, oxidative stress, inflammatio...

8. 

   5 Sept 2026

   Plastic and The Brain

   What happens when microscopic pieces of plastic reach one of the most protected organs in the human body? In this episode, Dr. Elie follows microplastics and nanoplastics beyond the bloodstream and into the brain. We explore emerging human research detecting plastic particles in brain tissue, the olfactory bulb, and cerebrospinal fluid—and the surprising evidence suggesting that the brain may accumulate more plastic than other organs. We examine what scientists are learning about the blood-...

9. 

   29 Aug 2026

   Plastic and The Cardiovascular system

   What happens when microplastics and nanoplastics enter our bloodstream and encounter the arteries that supply the heart? In this episode, Dr. Elie explores the emerging human evidence linking plastic particles with cardiovascular disease—from the landmark 2024 New England Journal of Medicine study that detected micro- and nanoplastics inside carotid artery plaques, to a 2026 European Heart Journal study finding them far more frequently in the coronary circulation of patients experiencing acu...

10. 

    26 Aug 2026

    How Plastic Gets Inside Us

    Plastic is no longer just in the environment. It is entering the human body. In this episode of The Plastic Age, Dr. Elie explores the two major routes of exposure: what we eat and drink, and what we breathe. Drawing on published human, animal, and laboratory studies, we examine micro- and nanoplastics in bottled water, food containers, household air, human stool, lung tissue, and blood. But exposure is not the same as absorption. The crucial question is what happens when the smallest particl...

11. 

    20 Aug 2026

    There Is No Away

    We throw something into the trash, the truck takes it away, and it disappears from our lives. But there is no place called “away.” In this episode of The Plastic Age, Dr. Elie follows plastic beyond the trash can, from landfills and recycling systems to rivers, oceans, agricultural soils, marine ecosystems, and eventually the food we eat. Along the way, we examine the startling reality of how little plastic is actually recycled, the enormous accumulation of plastic waste across the planet, an...

12. 

    15 Aug 2026

    Introduction

    Before we begin exploring The Plastic Age, I want to tell you a little about who I am, what has shaped the way I see the world, and why I created Beyond Plastic. I’m Dr. Elie Haddad—a cardiologist, husband, father, author, and lifelong seeker whose curiosity has taken me far beyond the traditional boundaries of medicine. Over the years, I’ve become increasingly interested not only in how we treat disease, but in the larger questions of how we live: what creates true health, what gives our liv...

13. 

    15 Aug 2026

    The Material That Nature Never Made

    In this episode of The Plastic Age, Dr. Elie Haddad begins with a question that changed the course of his own work as a physician: What happens when the material that transformed civilization also becomes part of our biology? From the extraordinary benefits that made plastic indispensable to modern life, to the emerging discovery of microscopic particles in human blood, arteries, reproductive organs, the placenta, and even the brain, this episode introduces a story that reaches far beyond env...

14. 

    15 Aug 2026

    How We Got Here

    In Episode Two of The Plastic Age, we go back to the origins of one of humanity’s most transformative inventions and ask a deceptively simple question: What exactly is plastic? From the search for an alternative to elephant ivory, to the invention of Bakelite and the rise of synthetic polymers, Dr. Elie Haddad traces the remarkable scientific breakthroughs that gave humanity the ability to create materials nature had never made before. Along the way, we explore the chemistry that makes plasti...

Contact Beyond Plastic: where science meets consciousness

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.