Striving4Zen

Yale researchers may have solved a fundamental medical mystery: how bisphenol A (BPA), a ubiquitous plastics component, changes genetic chemistry and impairs fertility.

The Yale team's findings, previewed earlier this month to the Endocrine Society, a 14,000-member scientific and medical professional organization devoted to hormone system research and treatment, have intensified scientists' concern that exposure BPA, a synthetic estrogen that disrupts the endocrine system, may have grave consequences for human reproduction.

In an interview, study co-author Hugh S. Taylor, M.D., professor and chief of the reproductive endocrinology section at Yale University School of Medicine, said his team injected pregnant mice with BPA for just one week. After those mice, and a control group, gave birth, the scientists found that the genetic chemistry of female offspring exposed to BPA in the womb had been irrevocably altered.

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Labels: BPA, endocrine system, hormones, infertility, synthetic growth hormone, toxic

Plastics, as used for food preparation and storage, have been linked to a sobering list of health conditions: hormonal imbalance, heart disease, impaired brain development, altered development of sexual organs, and various cancers.

So what should you do?

Plastics of different types are assigned corresponding resin numbers. The types, 1-7, look something like this.

• #1 polyethylene terephthalate – aka PET/PETE – soda bottles, mouthwash bottles, bottled water, etc.
• #2 high density polyethylene – aka HDPE - milk jugs, household cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, etc.
• #3 polyvinyl chloride – aka V/PVC – meat packaging, some household cleaner bottles, rigid plastic containers, household pipes, etc.
• #4 low density polyethylene – aka LDPE – newspaper bags, grocery bags, sandwich bags, cling wraps, frozen food bags, etc.
• #5 polypropylene – aka PP – yogurt/sour cream tubs, ketchup bottles, medicine bottles, etc.
• #6 polystyrene – aka PS – coffee cups, packing peanuts, to-go containers, etc.
• #7 “other” (Category assigned for mixed plastics or plastics introduced after 1987. The category includes polycarbonate, plant-based polylactide and other new hard plastics.) – baby bottles, water cooler bottles, rigid containers for food storage, lining for canned food, etc.

Are there better / worse options?

Although you’ll find criticism/skepticism about every category in some corners, most experts believe that better bets include #2 (HDPE), #4 (LDPE) and #5 (polypropylene) plastics because they appear to be more stable and less prone to leaching when used properly.

Of high concern are PVC (#3), polystyrene (#6) and the polycarbonate plastics (subcategory of #7). PVC contains phthalates, known endocrine disruptors and carcinogens, that present a particular risk to children. As for polystyrene, studies have linked this plastic to cancer, neurological damage and reproductive issues (PDF). And we’ve all likely heard the debate about BPA, a component of polycarbonate plastics. Although industry has fought the link tooth and nail, it’s becoming clear that BPA can seriously impact hormonal balance and reproductive function. (1, 2, 3)

Finally, some research suggests that a common plastic for water bottles, PET plastics, leach estrogenic compounds. These compounds, xenoestrogens, can disrupt hormonal balance in both men and women, although the single use of these plastics may lessen the overall leaching impact on consumers.

So, what can you do to prevent leaching? First off, there’s your own use of plastic. Use plastic containers only in accordance with their originally intended use (e.g. Don’t reheat a microwave dinner container or wash a single use water bottle and use it over and over – especially after continual washing in a hot dishwasher.) Second, avoid heating any plastic whenever possible or storing hot food/drink in plastic containers. In much of the “leaching” research, plastics are heated to high temperatures for long stretches of time, but even brief heating can be enough to allow chemical shedding of sorts. Remove plastic packaging and use a good old glass bowl or stove top pot for heating and a regular mug instead of a foam cup for your morning coffee. (And use a plain paper towel, preferably unbleached, to cover food in the microwave rather than plastic wrap.) The same goes for storage. (A liquid or moist food item has the potential to absorb more from its container than loose “dry” items.) Acidic food reacts more with the materials it comes in contact with. Keep your tomatoes and juices preferably in glass. Finally, look into alternatives to plastic bags like wax paper sandwich bags or stainless steel Bento boxes. (Just be sure to wrap those acidic foods in wax paper before storing them in stainless steel or aluminum.)

Read Full Article on Mark's Daily Apple!

Labels: BPA, healthy cooking, living holistically, microwave, plastic, PVC, toxic, toxins

Happy Baby, the Brooklyn-based fresh-frozen organic food company, has introduced the first organic puffs, Happy Baby Puffs ($4). The 100% natural goodies have half the sugar of existing brands and are made from whole grains, real fruits and real vegetables fortified with calcium and vitamins B and D.

The quick-to-dissolve munchies come in three flavors – Apple, Banana and Greens – that will have tots and their parents reaching for the eco-friendly containers. These containers are made from redundant materials from lilsugar favorite Method created from BPA-free, 25% post-consumer recycled materials. And for those who want their food purchases to do even more, each Happy Baby purchase is linked to a donation to Project Peanut Butter to feed malnourished children.

Great Find!

Labels: BPA, cool new product, Happy Baby, healthy snacks, organic food

A research team from the Peninsula Medical School, the University of Exeter, the University of Plymouth and the University of Iowa, have found evidence linking Bisphenol A (BPA) to diabetes and heart disease in adults.

Their research paper was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and it is the first time that evidence has emerged of the association between higher BPA levels and disease in adults.

BPA is a controversial chemical commonly used in food and drink containers. It has previously caused concerns over health risks to babies, as it is present in some baby's bottles.

BPA is used in polycarbonate plastic products such as refillable drinks containers, compact disks, some plastic eating utensils and many other products in everyday use. It is one of the world's highest production volume chemicals, with over 2.2 million tonnes (6.4 billion pounds) produced in 2003, with an annual growth in demand of between 6 -10% each year.

Many previous studies in laboratory animals have suggested that BPA is safe, but some laboratory studies have raised doubts. Experiments in which mice and rats were exposed to BPA have shown that higher doses of the chemical can lead to liver damage, insulin resistance, diabetes and obesity. The laboratory animal evidence is complicated and controversial. Some scientists believe that BPA can disrupt the work done by hormones, especially oestrogen, but the full biological effects of BPA in humans is far from clear.

The research team analysed information from the US government's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004, the only large-scale data available on BPA concentrations excreted in urine. The research team analysed the results for the 1455 adults aged between 18 and 74 years old for whom measures were available. This study group is representative of the general population of the USA.

The analysis found that the 25% of the population with the highest BPA levels were more than twice as likely to have heart disease and/or diabetes, compared to the 25% with the lowest BPA levels. Higher BPA levels were also associated with clinically abnormal liver enzyme concentrations.

While this study has identified a statistical association between BPA and adult diseases for the first time, much more research is needed. Future work needs to exclude the small possibility that the association is due to some other unstudied factor, or that people with these diseases somehow become more exposed to BPA. It is also unclear whether the liver enzyme changes are linked to liver damage.

Professor David Melzer, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Peninsula Medical School (Exeter, UK), who led the team commented: "Our study has revealed, for the first time, an association between raised BPA loads and two common diseases in adults. At the moment we can't be absolutely sure that BPA is the direct cause of the extra cases of heart disease and diabetes: if it is, some cases of these serious conditions could be prevented by reducing BPA exposure. This is therefore an exciting finding, but it is also just the first step in understanding the role of BPA."

He emphasised that this new possible link does not detract from the existing health advice to people on how to prevent heart disease and diabetes. Professor Melzer also praised the NHANES study and the US Division of Environmental Health Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who released these data for analysis by researchers.

Tamara Galloway, Professor of eco-toxicology from the School of Biosciences, the University of Exeter, added: "Our results illustrate how important human bio-monitoring programmes such as NHANES are in providing high quality information on the extent of human exposure to common chemicals such as BPA, allowing us to explore the relationship between exposure and health outcomes more fully."

Source

Labels: baby bottles, bisphenol A, BPA, diabetes, risk, study, toxic, toxins, water bottle

Just when you cleared out the bisphenol A baby bottles and recalled toys, now a study shows that phthalates, the chemicals that make plastics flexible and are used in fragrance making are a cause for concern.

An Associated Press article said a small study shows that the products you use to freshen up baby — from shampoo to lotion — can potentially cause reproductive problems.

It said:

In the study, they were found in elevated levels in the urine of babies who'd been recently shampooed, powdered or lotioned with baby products.

Phthalates (pronounced thowl-ates) are under attack by some environmental advocacy groups, but experts are uncertain what dangers, if any, they might pose. The federal government doesn't limit their use, although California and some countries have restricted their use.

Animal studies have suggested that phthalates can cause reproductive birth defects and some activists believe they may cause reproductive problems in boys and early puberty in girls.

Labels: baby bottles, BPA, personal care, phthalates, toxic, toxins

Popular plastic baby bottles leach a hormone-disrupting chemical when heated, possibly posing a danger to infants, according to a study released Thursday by a consortium of consumer groups.

The study, which focused on six major brands of baby bottles sold in the United States and Canada, found that bisphenol A, used to make polycarbonate plastic, was given off by heated bottles in amounts that were within the range shown to cause harm in animal studies. Obesity, cancer, early-onset puberty and other conditions have been linked to BPA in animal experiments.

How to protect yourself:
The report recommends taking these steps to reduce exposure to BPA:

Use glass or polypropylene bottles (the #5 plastic) instead of polycarbonate, which is hard, shiny, clear or tinted plastic.

Do not use harsh detergents on polycarbonate bottles, or put bottles in the dishwasher. Use warm soapy water and a sponge.

Avoid heating foods in polycarbonate containers as BPA tends to leach faster at higher temperatures. Instead, use glass or ceramic containers.

Cut consumption of canned foods and beverages to reduce exposure to BPA from the interior coating of the container.

Source

Labels: BPA, toxic, water bottle

Worries about the hormone-mimicking chemical bisphenol A (BPA) used in Nalgene plastic water containers have led a major Canadian retailer to remove Nalgene, along with other polycarbonate plastic containers, from store shelves in early December.
There is little dispute that the chemical can disrupt the hormonal system, but scientists disagree on whether the low doses found in food and beverage containers can cause harm. The FDA and the plastics industry have argued that BPA-based products do not pose a health risk.
However, an expert panel of researchers recently reported that the potential for BPA to affect human health is a concern, and more research is needed. Many Americans currently have higher levels of BPA than those found to cause harm in lab animals.

In the event that you do opt to use plastic containers for your food, be sure to avoid those marked on the bottom with the recycling label No. 7, as these varieties may contain BPA. Containers marked with the recycling labels No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 do not contain BPA (however they may contain other unsavory chemicals that you’re best off avoiding by using glass instead).

Source

Labels: BPA, concern, polycarbonate, toxic, water bottle

Scientific studies have been piling up since '98 saying that bisphenol A (BPA) leaches out of polycarbonate water bottles—those popular Nalgene bottles—and that it can lead to "chromosomal aberrations," IN YOU, and, no, they're NOT the super spidey-strength kind.

So the time is NOW to switch to a safer alternative... (these are all aluminum free too, if that matters).

*We stole this title from these fine peeps. More recent studies are cited here.
According to several recent studies, polycarbonate plastic readily leaches a chemical called bisphenol-A (BPA) into foods and liquids that are stored in containers made from it. BPA has been identified as an endocrine disrupting chemical, or a chemical that easily mimics hormones when absorbed by the human body. In the case of BPA, the hormone being mimicked is estrogen. Exposure to this compound at the wrong time can cause a cell division problem called aneuploidy in which chromosomes do not evenly split as a cell divides, leaving the two resulting cells with more or fewer chromosomes than normal. This uneven distribution of genetic material can in turn lead to cancer, miscarriage, and birth defects that include Down's Syndrome.

Sigg Oval Bottles 0.6L $19.99 Stainless Steel replica of 1941 Swiss Army Canteen—has FDA approved epoxy phenol resin coating to cut down on any possible mineral leaching
Guyot Shorty 24oz $14.95 uncoated stainless steel—wide mouthed so it will still fit your nalgene accessories—water filter, etc.
Klean Kanteen 27oz $19.95 w/stainless steel loop cap—uncoated food-grade stainless w/stainless cap even!

Unfortunately, polycarbonate plastic bottles and containers are identified by the plastic recycling symbol #7, which is used for a wide variety of plastics and plastic mixtures that fall into the "Other category." Unless this #7 symbol is accompanied by the letters PC, there's no sure way to tell if the container in question is made from polycarbonate or some other kind.

To be safe, environmental advocates suggest simply avoiding #7 plastics altogether and opting for safer choices for food and beverage storage. These better options include polypropylene (#5 PP), high density polyethylene (#2 HDPE), and low density polyethylene (#4 LDPE). No evidence has been found to suggest that these plastics leach toxic materials. Scientists advise against the repeated use of plastic water bottles made from plastic type #1 PETE as there is evidence to suggest that such bottles leach a compound known as DEHA, which is classified by the EPA as a possible human carcinogen, as well as acetaldehyde, which has received the same designation from the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Labels: BPA, hormones, Nalgene, polycarbonate, water bottle

1. Only use glass baby bottles and dishes for your baby
2. Give your baby natural fabric toys instead of plastic ones
3. Store your food and beverages in glass -- NOT plastic -- containers
4. IF you choose to use a microwave, don’t microwave food in a plastic container
5. Stop buying and consuming canned foods and drinks
6. Avoid using plastic wrap (and never microwave anything covered in it)
7. Get rid of your plastic dishes and cups, and replace them with glass varieties
8. If you opt to use plastic kitchenware, at least get rid of the older, scratched-up varieties, avoid putting them in the dishwasher, and don’t wash them with harsh detergents, as these things can cause more chemicals to leach into your food
9. Avoid using bottled water; filter your own using a reverse osmosis filter instead
10. Before allowing a dental sealant to be applied to you, or your children’s, teeth, ask your dentist to verify that it does not contain BPA.

In the event that you do opt to use plastic containers for your food, be sure to avoid those marked on the bottom with the recycling label No. 7, as these varieties may contain BPA. Containers marked with the recycling labels No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 do not contain BPA (however they may contain other unsavory chemicals that you’re best off avoiding by using glass instead).

Why avoid BPA?

Labels: BPA, Health, toxins, water bottle