Can the Cans: Tips for Avoiding Exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA)

October 8th, 2009 No comments »

4333701_blogMy last post, about apples, was partially inspired by the fact that fall is here. This post too, is inspired by the time of year, and again focuses on food safety.

Depending on what part of North America you live in, the availability of fresh food diminishes as we approach winter. In New England, many of us cover up our grills, dust off our crock pots, and begin making comfort foods like spaghetti and meatballs, chili, and soups. In years past I would buy canned tomatoes for tomato sauce and canned kidney beans for chili. Most regrettably, I bought cans of formula when my son was an infant. I did all of this prior to learning about the long list of potential health hazards associated with exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), the plastic resin used in polycarbonate food and drink containers and the lining of tin cans. In cans, BPA is used to prevent corrosion of the can and contamination of the food inside. Ironic, eh?

If you aren’t aware of the impacts of BPA exposure, consider these facts:

  • BPA is a synthetic form of estrogen, and has been proven to interfere with the normal function of the endocrine system.
  • Exposure to BPA is implicated in fetal development defects and reproductive system damage
  • Recent studies have raised questions about BPA exposure increasing the risk for diabetes and certain types of cancers.
  • More than 100 peer-reviewed studies have reported that BPA is toxic at low doses. (http://www.ewg.org/reports/bisphenola)
  • Developing fetuses and babies are most vulnerable to BPA’s toxic effects; this age group also has the highest level of exposure. (link to http://www.ewg.org/tipstoavoidBPA)

Five tips for minimizing your families’ exposure to BPA

  • Avoid canned food, particularly if you are pregnant
  • Look for food that comes in bottles or cartons rather than cans (e.g. tomato sauce)
  • Choose BPA-free baby bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers, and water bottles. Check the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Baby-Safe Bottles & Formula.
  • Ask your dentist for BPA-free sealants and fillings
  • Avoid eating or drinking from plastic containers marked with the recycling code #7

Remember- it’s not just what you eat, but also what you eat out of! On that note, I’m off to soak some beans for the first batch of chili this season. Using dry beans rather than canned takes planning and time, but the evidence points to the fact that it’s a safer route- cheaper too!

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How Do You Like Them Apples?

September 18th, 2009 5 comments »

apple

The kids are back in school, the days are getting shorter, and in many towns across North America, the apples are almost ready to pick.

 

We eat a ton of apples in our house; in fact we probably eat more apples than any other type of fruit. Because of the large number of apples we consume and because apples have a heavy pesticide load, I always buy the organic variety. According to the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Produce, apples are the second most pesticide-laden type of produce out there (peaches claim first prize)!

 

Conventionally grown apples are treated with herbicides and pesticides. Some are natural; however most are altered versions of natural chemicals. In agriculture, farmers use pesticides and herbicides to protect crops from various insects, weeds, and diseases. The concern with conventionally grown produce is that human exposure to a wide range of pesticides is linked negative effects on the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems and increased incidence of certain types of cancers. As with exposure to many other synthetic chemicals, children (born and unborn) are particularly susceptible due to their developing systems; their limited ability to detoxify, or excrete the pesticides; and their lower body weight relative to adults.

Lots of people wonder if thoroughly washing conventionally grown apples removes all of the pesticide residue. The answer is that it does not. Some amount of residue remains on the skin of the apples, while some is absorbed into the apples through the skin.

 

So when you’re strolling through the produce aisle this fall, think about opting for organic apples, free of harmful pesticides and herbicides. Not only will you be protecting your families’ health, but you will also be indirectly protecting the environment, because organic growing methods don’t contaminate the soil or water supply with their growing methods.

 

Tips for stretching your produce dollars:

  • Buy in season. Food that is purchased while it’s in season will always cost less than when it’s not readily available.
  • Check out all the varieties of the item you’re buying and be flexible. In our local natural foods market, they stock about seven different types of organic apples, ranging in price from $1.65/lb to $3.49lb.
  • Buy in bulk. If you know you’ll consume a substantial quantity of a specific type of produce, look for savings if you purchase larger quantities.

Do you ‘go organic’ when buying this fruit?

 

Does the cost of organic apples factor into your decision about whether or not to buy organic or conventionally grown apples?

Enjoy your apples, apples and cheese, apple crisp, and apple cider!

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Why Should We Care About the Household Consumable Products?

September 8th, 2009 3 comments »

Why, exactly, should we pay special attention to the consumable products we buy every week? First, think of the long list of consumable products most of us buy: food, laundry detergent, shampoo, lotion, all-purpose cleaner, deodorant, etc. Most of us buy a lot of this stuff!

 

Here are some reasons why we should all pay special attention to our food, cleaning and personal care product choices:

  • There are thousands of industrial chemicals used in the products we buy. The majority of these chemicals have not been tested for human safety.
  • Exposure to many of these chemicals is increasingly linked to serious health issues, including cancer, behavioral, immunological, and reproductive disorders.
  • By making informed decisions about the products you bring into our house, you can drastically reduce your families’ exposure to things such as VOC’s, parabens, phthalates, pesticides, and PCB’s. By reducing your family’s exposure to these and other chemicals, you can protect and optimize the health of your family.

 

Top four ways to reduce your family’s exposure to harmful chemicals:

  1. Buy as much organic produce as you can afford (download the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides.
  2. Avoid personal care products with parabens or phthalates listed as ingredients. Refer to my ‘safer’ brands list on the personal care page.
  3. Filter your water.
  4. Buy organic meat.
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Sunscreen Safety/ Try the Widget!

August 6th, 2009 1 comment »

sunscreen2

I’ve been wondering, are the rash guards all the kids wear today a clever marketing ploy, or do they serve an important purpose?

When I was a kid, spending long days in the Texas sun, there were no rash guards to be found, and most of us had skin that looked like the Coppertone girl’s. (Remember, the super-tan, pig-tailed, little girl whose dog was trying to pull off her bathing suit?) For the most part, parents today seem vigilant about protecting their kids from the sun’s harmful rays, which is vital for maintaining good skin health in their years ahead.

It turns out that many sunscreen products don’t effectively protect us from the sun’s harmful rays. Not only do some products leave our skin exposed to the sun’s harmful rays, but many brands also include harmful chemicals in their products.

In order to be effective, a sunscreen product needs to provide protection from both UVA and UVB radiation. Until recently, many brands provided protection only for UVB radiation (the type primarily responsible for burns), but provided no protection from UVA radiation (the type increasingly implicated in melanoma incidence). The rash guards play an important role after all; they protect our skin from UVA and UVB rays. There are four of them in my son’s dresser, and his tan line is faint compared to the Coppertone girl’s.

Tips for safety in the sun for you and your little ones

  • Look for products that provide protection against the sun’s UVA and UVB rays
  • Avoid sunscreen that has the hormone disrupting chemical oxybenzone
  • Don’t forget your lips! Search out a lip balm with UVA and UVB protection

Below is a list of the Environmental Working Group’s ‘Easy To Find Best Picks’ for sunscreen products. Also, check out the Safe Sunscreen Widget at the top the post.

  • California Baby – any sunscreen
  • Mustela – “Sun Cream” or “Sun Lotion, Bebe”
  • Mission Skincare – “Face Stick”
  • Neutrogena – “Pure & Free” or “Sensitive Skin”
  • Blue Lizard – “Face”, “Baby”, or “Sensitive”
  • Jason Natural or Earth’s Best – “Mineral Based”
  • Solar Sense – “Clear Zinc Sport Stick”
  • CVS – “Sport Sunstick”
  • Coppertone Water BABIES – “Pure & Simple”

For additional information on Sunscreen Safety, and to learn about the results of the Environmental Working Group’s recent investigation into Sunscreen safety and effectiveness, visit www.ewg.org.

http://www.usfamilyguide.com/community.php?referralcode=460

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