10 Ways To Avoid Toxic Plastic – BPA, Synthetic Estrogens and Your Child
Last week I wrote about a study that revealed interesting clues that may help us to understand why synthetic estrogens, including Bisphenol-A (BPA), found in many widely-used plastics, have a detrimental effect on a developing fetus.
BPA has been in the news recently; a New York Times article discusses Canada’s proposed ban, and parents have become more and more aware of the adverse effects of using baby bottles, pacifiers and soft rubber toys with their babies. But, the danger of synthetic estrogen can effect us all. So what can you do to avoid this toxin and provide a safe home for your family.?
Dr. Joesph Mercola, a well known osteopathic physician, author and natural health advocate has a few recommendations:
- » See also: The Joy of Green Cleaning by Leslie Reichert
- » Get Eco Child’s Play by RSS or sign up by email.
10 Tips to Reduce Your Exposure to BPA
1. Only use glass baby bottles and dishes for your baby (and yourself)
2. Give your baby natural fabric toys instead of plastic ones
3. Store your food and beverages – 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 your, or your children’s, teeth, ask your dentist to verify that it does not contain BPA
While it may seem difficult to follow all of these rules, the more you reduce your exposure to BPA, the better.
Related Posts:
Synthetic Estrogen Harms Reproductive System – Now We May Know Why
Sippy Cups, Baby Bottles, and BPA
Mother Can I Trust the Government?
Photo courtesy: New York Times
[...] a effort to limit my family’s exposure to BPA and phthalates, I’ve tossed all those freebie plastic water bottles and replaced them with [...]
[...] for discussion this week, so listen in! Sources FDA Defends Plastic Linked to Health Risks (NPR) 10 Ways to Avoid Toxic Plastic - BPA, Synthetic Estrogens and Your Child (Eco Child’s Play) Jury Still Out on BPA/Plastics Risk (WebMD) Chemical Leading to Alligator [...]
buying products in glass is great but they can sometimes be hard to find. i’ve found tomato paste and olives in glass at http://www.shoporganic.com. the tomato paste is by far the best i’ve ever had too (bionaturae).
[...] going to be cutting up the estrogen and sharing it with friends. (If the kids want to be exposed to estrogen–or something that mimics it–they can simply sip on some high-energy pop out of cans or drink their sports drinks out of [...]
[...] money on glorified tap water; yum! And let’s not forget that most plastic grab-and-go drink bottles contain bisphenol-A, so you’re getting those fabulous effects, too. C’mon; it’s not like you’re [...]
…and don’t forget lots of great stainless steel food container options too. the old fashioned speckle ware is also a nice lightweight/non breakable option for kids dishes etc.
SC Johnson states that Saran and Ziploc products do not contain BPA or plasticizers. http://www.saranbrands.com/faq.asp#1
this page really helped my project work , thanks
[...] Other recent studies should have us all cutting out the polycarbonate plastic. [...]
[...] heated within? Does it release cancer causing rays? Does microwave heating cause containers (like plastic) to leach toxins into food? What about microwave popcorn causing health [...]