A recent study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives and based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) investigated the exposure of pregnant women to 163 chemicals, revealing, “ubiquitous exposure to multiple chemicals during a sensitive period of development.” The study found that pregnant women were even exposed to chemicals banned decades ago, and some of the chemicals analyzed were found in 99 – 100 percent of the women.

Health effects were not assessed in this study, but many of the chemicals found are known to have detrimental consequences on health. In another case study of one women with particularly high levels of bisphenol A (BPA) during her 27^th week of pregnancy, the infant experienced neurobehavioral abnormalities at his one-month study visit. Researchers of this study were able to trace her abnormally high BPA exposure to the high consumption of canned foods, heating of plastic food containers, and use of plastic cups. The week of her highest recorded BPA level, she consumed canned ravioli each day. It is known that acidic foods can bring out more BPA from can lining, and canned tomato foods have been found to be higher in BPA.

BPA and phthalate exposure can be reduced by purchasing fresh unpackaged foods and avoiding plastic food packaging, storage containers and utensils. In one study, again published in Environmental Health Perspectives, consuming fresh foods prepared and consumed without the use of plastic was associated with a 66 percent reduction in the amount of BPA in urine.

We can’t eliminate all toxins, but there are small things we can do try to reduce them. Replace your plastic Tupperware with glass containers. Don’t use plastic wrap and try to prepare as much food as you can from fresh, unpackaged foods. And never heat food or drink in plastic. Do what you can and know that you are at least doing something. Spread the word—pass this information on.

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Renew You Challenge

Let’s start this week off right!

Weekly challenge (I mean, opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week. You could even add it to your calendar. Join us!

The Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment is an affiliation of organizations with a common goal of improving children’s environmental health in Canada. They have recently released recommendations to reduce common sources of toxic exposure associated with health risks to children. Here are their five tips for creating a healthy home environment for kids:

Bust that dust. Dust is one of the main sources of toxin exposure for children. Toxins collect in house dust after being released from carpet, furniture, electronics, upholstery and more. Because children play closer to the ground they are exposed to more dust than adults. Also, their smaller bodies cannot process toxins as well as those of adults.

Go green when you clean. Many cleaning products contain an array of toxic chemicals used for everything from window shining to wood polishing. Similar to house dust, children spend their time closer to these surfaces, placing their hands all over tables and windows (and then placing those fingers in their mouth). Using non-toxic cleaners can give you peace of mind next time little Suzie tries to fit her whole fist in her mouth after smearing mashed potatoes on the coffee table.

Renovate right. House renovations can introduce a host of toxins from building materials, and can put pregnant women and children at risk of toxin exposure. If you can avoid renovating during these times, that would be ideal. However, if renovation must be done, be sure that all dust is properly cleaned up each day, and that the renovation area is well sealed off from living areas.

Get drastic with plastic. The experts recommend against using plastic containers or plastic wrap in the microwave, to store food in ceramic or glass containers instead of plastic containers, to eat fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables in order to avoid BPA (bisphenol A) found in canned foods, and to avoid teething toys, bibs, bath toys, shower curtains and other items that contain PVC or vinyl.

Dish safer fish. They recommend choosing fish low in mercury, like Atlantic mackerel, herring, rainbow trout, wild or canned salmon, and tilapia. When tuna is preferred, choosing the light variety over albacore tuna is best due to a higher mercury content in albacore tuna.

This week, if you aren’t following these tips, begin to implement them where you can. These recommendations are right on. I hope this information gets into the hands of many parents. Pass it on!

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Some disturbing news came to my attention recently. You know those reusable bags that are replacing plastic and paper bags; those bags that help reduce waste in our landfills? Well, a recent investigation in the Tampa Bay area (my hometown) has found that many of these bags contain dangerous levels of lead!

The investigation was lead by the local newspaper, the Tampa Tribune. They tested an array of bags from different stores. As it turns out, the bags vary in the amount of lead they contain. Bags with more elaborate illustrations (especially green and yellow in color) contain the highest amounts of lead—enough that may qualify the bags as hazardous if disposed with household trash.

The current allowable level of paint on consumer products is 90 parts per million (ppm), but some bags tested contained levels as high as 194 ppm. Even more alarming, a separate, independent study performed this past summer found that some bags contained lead at levels up to 799 ppm! Bags with the simplest illustrations had the lowest levels of lead. But if customers are concerned about the bags, taking them back to the store is a good idea.

Lead is a neurotoxin, associated with lowering IQ levels in children and with fertility problems in adults. Lead can remain in the body for many years. Experts are still discovering the adverse health effects of lead, and as this occurs, acceptable levels of lead in many products are continually lowered. Researchers agree that there is no possible “safe” level of lead.

What to do about saving the earth, then? The way I see it, changing to canvas bags (plain bags with no designs) will be the best way to avoid lead, but still be ecologically minded. There will probably be many new types of bags produced as a result of this lead scare, so be on the lookout for replacements at you local health food stores in coming weeks.

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Plastic products are made with an array of toxic chemicals—different chemicals depending on the final function of the plastic. Sure, plastics are convenient, there is no doubt. But I have to say, we’ve gone overboard with our dependence on plastic products.

A recent study has found that one-third of plastic products tested released toxic substances. The test they did was simple—they soaked 83 randomly selected plastic items in pure water for 1 to 3 days. Then, they were able to test for acute toxicity by adding water fleas to the water. As it turned out, one-third of those plastic products released chemicals that were acutely toxic to the fleas.

This was an eye-opener, because think about how little it took to leach chemicals off these plastics. All it took was pure water! Think about that bottle of water you drink every day. Think about that baby bath, filled with plastic toys. Think about that swimming pool. In fact, five out of 13 children’s products, including bath toys and inflatable armbands, were found to release toxins.

Plastics are everywhere, and they’re almost impossible to avoid. But if you can take measures to reduce your exposure and lessen the amount of plastics you use, you’ll be exposed to fewer chemicals. Obviously from this study, it doesn’t take much for toxins from plastic to be released.

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A lot of folks ask me where I find the time to stay up to date with current health news when I’m constantly traveling. The truth is, it isn’t always easy, but information sources like the Environmental Health Perspectives journal are a huge help.

EHP helps raise awareness about environmental toxins and their effects on human health—a subject I’m pretty passionate about, as you know!—and the latest issue talks about two studies whose results I just had to share. Even though it’s not exactly good news (okay, I guess you could say it’s just plain bad news), it’s a subject we just can’t afford to ignore any longer: everyday chemicals are wreaking havoc on our bodies and our well being.

In the first study, prenatal exposure to chemical toxins called phthalates (pronounced THA-lātes) was linked to birth defects in newborns and extreme behavioral problems in younger children. Scientists tested the urine of pregnant women for phthalates and then followed up with them as their children aged to track their behavioral development… and guess what? The women with the highest levels of phthalates reported the worst behavior in their children. So about now you’re probably thinking, “Well, what the heck are phthalates and how can I avoid them?” Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple.

Phthalates are found in a lot of everyday products, and I mean a lot—especially things like make-up and beauty products. On the bright side, they’ve been removed from children’s products because they were found to be harmful, but exposure for expectant mothers really hasn’t been taken into consideration before now… maybe after hearing these results the regulators will finally listen?? I certainly hope so!

The second study looked at the effects of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) on women who were trying to get pregnant. PBDEs are flame-retardant chemicals used widely in things like electronics, mattresses, carpet and fabrics, plastic products, and believe me—the list goes on. But what’s really scary is that they’re also found in household dust because the chemicals rub off on the products over time. Now, I hate dusting, but that might make me think twice about putting it off when I’m feeling lazy!

The results of this second study showed that women who had higher levels of PBDEs in their blood had a harder time getting pregnant, and it took them longer to conceive than women with lower blood levels of PBDEs. The point? This toxic soup we’re swimming in is everywhere, folks. But short of moving to Antarctica (oh wait, the ozone layer there is depleting—never mind!), there is no way to avoid them all. My advice is just to take small but sensible steps to reduce your exposure to harmful toxins, beginning with considering the products you buy (and opting for natural alternatives whenever possible), and making sure you cleanse and detox regularly!

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Well folks, it looks like BPA is back in the news, and the news is not good. In one of the first studies of its kind, scientists from the University of Michigan and the Harvard School of Public Health looked at how exposure to the chemical Bisphenol A affected the sperm count and quality in otherwise healthy male adults, and here’s what they found:

Of the nearly 200 men that participated in the study by providing urine and sperm samples, those with the highest levels of BPA had significantly lower sperm counts as well as a notable increase in damage to healthy sperm DNA, which scientists believe has to do with how BPA affects healthy hormone function in the body and can interfere with normal growth and development.

One of the reasons I think this is really interesting is because most of the studies about BPA so far have looked at how BPA affects babies in the womb, or how it affects developing children and adults—but few have looked at the effects of exposure at such an early stage. So for couples out there who are trying to get pregnant, this is definitely something to think about.

Folks, BPA is everywhere. It’s in hundreds of products like canned foods and beverages, along with plastic baby bottles and reusable water bottles. In fact, more than 2 billion pounds of it are produced annually according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, who describes BPA as a “reproductive, developmental and systemic toxicant”. Even the latest report from the President’s Cancer Panel cautions against using products made with BPA. But with all that said, the FDA is still dragging its feet about BPA and only just this year decided to update the warning on its website about BPA—talk about a day late and a dollar short!

Even though further research is needed to determine the full effects of BPA exposure at the reproductive stage and throughout human life, I for one wasn’t surprised to see BPA once again in the hot seat. For some really good tips on how you and your family can reduce BPA exposure, check out Environmental Working Group’s Consumer Tips to Avoid BPA Exposure.

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One of the best non-profit resource groups I’ve found, Environmental Working Group does a great job providing information to the public about the dangerous chemicals that we come into contact with every day. In fact, their website is loaded with helpful information about one of the most talked-about chemicals in use today—bisphenol A, or BPA.

BPA is found in hundreds of products, including hard plastics and the lining of canned foods, but many studies have linked it to negative health affects in humans, especially during fetal development. If you’re concerned that BPA might be in some of the products you use and want help making better choices, click here for more information.

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There are so many helpful resources out there! Yesterday on the Poop Scoop radio show, we discussed how important nutrition is for a child’s development. Fresh fruits, veggies, whole-grain breads and natural peanut butter—you do everything you can to make sure your kids are eating healthy lunches, but what about what you’re packing those lunches in?

Plastic lunch boxes and food containers can release harmful chemicals through off-gassing*, so it’s a good idea to avoid them whenever possible. But as any busy parent knows, it’s hard to do when those little containers are so darn convenient! The solution? ECOLunchbox.

The company makes everything from cloth lunch bags to stainless steel food containers, so you can feel good knowing your kids are getting all the good stuff without the risk of harmful toxins. And the best part? The products are great for grown-ups too! 

*Off-gassing: The process by which toxic chemicals are released into the air through evaporation.

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You know how I feel about toxins, right? Right. So when I heard that the FDA had finally updated its warning about one of the most harmful toxic chemicals out there today, I thought to myself, “It’s about time!”

The folks at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have been dragging their feet for some time now on the issue of bisphenol A (or BPA for short). BPA, which I’m sure you’ve heard of by now unless you’ve been living under a rock, is one of the most prevalent chemicals in use today, and it’s found in 90% of the population—which means yes, it’s probably inside you right now!

BPA is used in the lining of canned foods and in many hard plastic products like those reusable water bottles you see everywhere. One of the most concerning uses of BPA, however, is its presence in plastic baby bottles and ‘sippy’ cups, as well as in containers for infant formula and food.

Whereas before they said BPA was ‘safe’ for infants, the FDA has since changed its tune. Now when you go on their website and research BPA, you can see that their new statement says they are concerned about the “potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and young children”. So as a result the FDA is now supporting the removal of BPA from containers that are used by infants. Well, thank goodness!

But still, let’s not forget how BPA affects adults too—another study just came out that confirmed the link between high BPA levels and cardiovascular disease, showing that people who have the highest amounts of BPA in their urine also had the highest rates of heart disease. How’s that for a wake-up call? Just something to keep in mind the next time you consider buying canned foods or filling up your water bottle.

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