BPA Leaching from Baby Bottles Labeled “BPA-free”
by Tiffany
A recent study published by Health Canada shows BPA leaching from many mainstream brands that are labeling their products as “BPA-free”. Over the past couple of years parents have become increasingly aware of the endocrine disrupting chemical bisphenol-a (BPA) and have increasing sought out BPA-free products.
While the concentrations were low and present after exposure to high heat, this study outlines why we choose to only carry a few select products that have undergone independent testing rather than offer a whole range of items which may be of some concern. This is also one of the reasons we recommend glass and sanitary grade stainless steel that has been tested for impurities above plastic. Avoiding BPA and other endocrine disruptors is especially important for expectant moms and young children who are much more vulnerable to the toxic effects from chemicals. Keep in mind that the raw ingredients in plastic (including polyester) is oil and natural gas with some other chemicals added to give rigidity, flexibility, and softness… not really what I want to be drinking out of.
http://www.chemicalsubstanceschimiques.gc.ca/challenge-defi/study_babybottles-etude_bebe_e.html#tab1
Posted in BPA (bisphenol-A), Health and Product Safety, Plastics and what You Need to Know, Pre-Conception | No Comments »
Autism and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals
by Tiffany
With my introduction to the wolrd of autism a few years back came a slurry of rather disturbing information. First is the extreme rise over the past 30 years, then the attempt to find causation and treatments. From 1993 to 2003 autism diagnoses increased 800%. The million, make that billion, dollar question: “what is causing this increase?”. While much is disagreed upon in the autism community one theory leads the way and that is that autism is like cancer. That is a genetic predisposition component and environmental triggers that can result in something along the pervasive developmental disorder continuum.
What are these environmental triggers? With cancer we know of many carcinogens, with autism it seems fitting to look at known neurotoxins: mercury, lead, various pesticides, endocrine disruptors, and the like. The science and research is still very young (and underfunded) which leaves many unknowns.
If you spend enough time in the research and looking at the numbers it can be a really frightening scenario especially for those about to start a family. The choices that a parent has to make seem to be getting more and more difficult maneuvering through baby bottles, crib mattresses, vaccines, food, personal care products, toys, and even the clothes we bring them home in. While it can be a little startling at first, we as a society have left things unchecked for too long and a little forethought is worth a lifetime of health.
About a month ago I ran into this article on endocrine disrupting chemicals (e.,g. BPA) by Dr. Harvey Karp which draws some conclusions as to their possible roles in autism.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harvey-karp/cracking-the-autism-riddl_b_221202.html
Posted in Autism, BPA (bisphenol-A), Health and Product Safety, Phthalates, Pre-Conception, Toy Safety | No Comments »
New Website: Food, Pesticides & Toxicology
by Tiffany
photo by: adactio
Today I ran across the new website from the Pesticide Action Network, What’s On My Food? This website uses a formula similar to that on the Skin Deep Database only in relation to chemicals on food and the documented research on those chemicals rather than chemicals in skin care items. It is a great resource to click on and see the various chemicals that the USDA’s Pesticide Data Program has found in various foods cross referenced with data from the EPA and authoritative research.
Pesticide regulations in the U.S. are well behind much of the rest of the industrialized world. This is mostly because agrichemical corporations like Monsanto have too much influence in Washington, but also because pesticide regulation in the U.S. does not adequately account for things like additive and synergistic effects.
Since the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) regulates most chemicals on a chemical-by-chemical basis, the combined and cumulative effects of a mixture of pesticides are nearly impossible for them to address – and so they usually don’t. 1
In addition to this handy tool, they have a lot of really great information and links to research. They have links and document the growing body of research on the effects of pesticides on human and environmental health from the various exposures: working or living near crops where pesticides are used, prenatal exposure, exposure through food, and exposure through runoff into streams, rivers, aquifers, lakes, and oceans.
Given the complexities of chemical causality and disease-formation, the smart solution would be to follow the European Union’s lead and adopt the “precautionary principle”2 as the basis for regulatory decision-making. Put simply, this approach prioritizes protecting human health when there is significant doubt about the safety of a product. By contrast, pesticides and industrial chemicals in the U.S. are innocent until proven guilty. It often takes decades to prove a chemical guilty.
Meanwhile, we are exposed to dozens of pesticides in the food we eat, water we drink and air we breathe. People working on farms or living in rural areas near non-organic agricultural fields face even higher exposure levels.
My transformation from someone who lived very chemically intensively to someone who works diligently to reduce the amount of chemicals in my life and the lives of others began in 2005 when I began to work with children with autism. When sifting through the research on autism it is impossible to ignore the various research linking chemicals to the condition. Then your mind stats to wonder about the rise in other health-related issues: Parkinson’s, cancer, asthma, depression, ADHD, pre-term births, endometriosis, infant mortality (to name a few). As you dig deeper and deeper the research presents a not so great picture. Instead of pull myself into isolation in some remote village less damaged from chemical pollution, I decide to do what I can and help others to realize the need to reduce the amount of chemicals we currently support through our consumption patterns.
To begin with I eliminated all chemicals from my house: the pesticides I used in the garden, the cleaners under the sink, skin care products, perfume… Then I saw the need to eat as organically as possible for me, my unborn children, and millions of farm workers around the world. And then I took a good hard look at my clothing and the textile industry and realized that if I were to buy new supporting organic cottons and sustainable fibers was the only way to go. Conventional cotton uses 25% of the world pesticides and if I truly want to live my life in a way the respects the quality of life and health for all there is no way to justify not supporting the more sustainable options. Once you see the world as a contained system in which we are all connected and realize the ill effect that can be cause by a single shirt the organic and sustainable textile industry becomes a pivotal part in the quest for a better future.
The following is an excerpt from the What’s On My Food Website:
How are we exposed?
» In our bodies
» On the farm
» In the environment
» On our plates
In our bodies
Most of us are born with persistent pesticides and other chemicals already in our bodies, passed from mother to child during fetal development. The human health impacts linked to pesticide exposure range from birth defects and childhood brain cancer in the very young, to Parkinsons’ Disease in the elderly. In between are a variety of other cancers, developmental and neurological disorders, reproductive and hormonal system disruptions, and more.
On the farm
Most of us are born with persistent pesticides and other chemicals already in our bodies.
Farmers and farmworkers are some of the hardest working people on the planet. Yet they and their families bear the highest health costs and face the greatest risks of pesticide exposure. Farmworkers in particular remain the least protected class of workers in the U.S. – last year another slavery case was brought in Florida on behalf of farmworkers there. Poisoning incidents among farmworkers are vastly underreported – yet in California alone, hundreds of cases of pesticide poisoning are documented every year.
Occupational exposure to pesticides in acute cases range from dizziness and nausea to death; chronic exposures are linked to the same array of diseases listed above plus a few more listed below.
In the environment
Pesticides don’t stay where they’re applied. They drift from their target and are carried in our air, oceans, rivers, groundwater and soil. They contaminate ecosystems and can poison fish, birds and wildlife. Water supplies around the world contain measurable amounts of pesticides, including atrazine. Atrazine, a suspected endocrine disruptor recently banned in Europe3, is the most commonly used herbicide in the U.S.
Besides heavy use in industrial farming, pesticides are used in or near playing fields, parks, schools, public gardens, golf courses, grocery stores, offices, apartment buildings, hotels and resorts, airplanes, cruise ships — the list goes on. Rural communities are routinely contaminated by pesticide drift, while city dwellers may trace pesticide residues on their shoes to public parks and even their apartment’s common areas.
Posted in Autism, Food Safety, Green Pregnancy, Organic Gardening, Uncategorized, Why Organic Cotton? | No Comments »
Coco-Cola, The American Chemistry Council, and Del Monte: The new R.J. Reynolds and Phillip Morris
by Tiffany
photo by: estres
In case you have not heard the Washington Post obtained notes from a private meeting in which executives from Coco-Cola, Del Monte, The American Chemistry Council to name a few held to devise tactics to imporove the reputation of BPA (bisphenol a). The minutes bear such resemblance to leaked information from the tobacco industry. My favorite is their presumption that it would be unlikely to get a scientific spokesperson. Then they go on to prey on pregnant women saying, their “holy grail” would be a “pregnant young mother who would be wiling to speak around the country about the benefits of BPA”.
Why would there be such concern from the BPA industry? Well they are going to try to tell you there is nothing harmful from this chemical and that the alternatives are so much more expensive, but what they really mean is that BPA is a multi-billion dollar industry and they want to protect their money. Now I cannot say that the decline of the BPA industry will not have some negative effects, multi-billion dollar companies employ many people. Of course most of those people make minimum wage and only a few make the big bucks, but none the less there are jobs that will be lost. Which is why, given the current economic climate, I am not for an all out ban. What I am for is FULL DISCLOSURE so that consumers can make their own fully informed choice and a ban for use in products like baby bottles and sippys.
What it boils down to is years of scientific research documenting negative health effects from BPA exposure (from cancer, to reproductive damage, to neurological disorders) and these companies looking the other way instead of looking for safer alternatives. These companies are gambling with your health and the health of your children in the name of making money. If you think this is as ridiculous as I do, let everyone around you know about this deception. If not, I am sure these companies will pay handsomely for their “young pregnant spokesperson”.
Full Washington Post Article
Summary of Linked Minutes from Environmental Working Group
If you want to tell Coco-Cola and Del Monte what you think:
Coca-Cola: 1-800-GET-COKE, then press 2
Del Monte: 1-800-543-3090
Posted in BPA (bisphenol-A), Plastics and what You Need to Know, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Yet another Reason to Avoid #1 Plastic a.k.a Polyesther, PET, PETE
by Tiffany
A new study by German scientists in Environmental Science and Pollution Research shows unknown estrogen mimicking chemicals leaching into the water from polyethylene terephthalate also known as PET, PETE, #1 plastic, and polyester. For some time now studies have documented the leaching of antimony from #1 plastic and polyester but now questions are being raised over other unknown substances that may be leaching from this and other plastics. Plastics and human health research is, as with many chemicals, just on the verge of catching up with these relatively new compounds that have taken over our daily lives. So far there really is no good news coming from this research which puts more emphasis on our need to shift from plastics to more inert materials such as 18/8 or higher stainless steel, glass, wood, and ceramics.
Posted in Antimony, Environmental Health Research, Plastics and what You Need to Know | No Comments »
And Now for a Little Organic Gardening
by Tiffany
For those of you who do not know, Jeremy and I moved from Norman to Tulsa in the fall of 2007 with plans of starting a family. We left behind a wonderful organic garden, 
from which came the most beautiful and delicious squash and zucchini, and some lovely flower beds. Our intention was to move into the house, green it up, put in a garden, add some color to the flower beds, and start a family. But fate had other plans for us. The house green-up was a little more intensive and time consuming than we had imagined and then came Lundeby’s Eco Baby and two puppies. All bets were off, it was a challenge just trying to take care of the store, the laundry, and the animals. The house was rarely clean and home cooked meals were becoming a distant memory. With the passing of time, the clean house and home cooked meals started to return as our new life began to take hold. So now it is time to start some new projects! Enter the beginning of our small urban farm. 
We loosely constructed a compost bin out of some wire fencing and an old piece of wood; not the most beautiful, but it does the job by providing containment and adequate ventilation. In our compost are some fall leaves from the trees in our front yard, vegetable and fruit scraps, eggshells, and rabbit droppings. The rabbit poop comes from Fatso, our house rabbit who is our oldest family pet. 
Behind the compost bin is one of the two 4′ by 8′ plots that we will start this spring. In Norman we constructed a no dig garden, but here we decided to clear the sod and loosen the soil a bit before building the raised bed. The next step was the construction of the raised beds. For which we decided to use cedar wood due to its bug repellent properties and nice warm color. Next we filled the beds with a mixture of topsoil, peat moss, and mushroom compost. Our compost is not quite ready to use yet, but I did throw in a couple of hand fulls for good luck. The cedar post running across the yard will serve as a fence to keep the dogs and their droppings away from the garden and just on the other side is a newly planted peach tree for future shade and fruit.
Now for the fun stuff, planning the garden. Organic gardening is much easier if you plan ahead and utilize optimal soil with a high organic matter content, water conservation, and companion planting. For our Norman garden we used drip irrigation, but seeking to find a watering source with less pollutants than the recycled tire hoses we found an even more efficient source for watering, Deep Pipe Irrigation using bamboo . Our bamboo is here and ready to be prepared for the garden (an experience I will definitely blog about). Companion planting is the practice of placing plants that attract beneficial insects, repelling pests, and or improve quality and flavor of another plant and equally important distancing plants that do not have a beneficial effect on one another. There are many resources for companion planting online here are a couple with a good basic overview Home and Garden Site and Golden Harvest Organics andTinker’s Gardens has a nice easy to follow chart. So far I am planning for beans with rosemary and possibly a petunia; zucchini and squash with marigolds, nasturtiums, and borage; eggplant with some contained catnip (potted and planted), and a few strawberries with some nasturtiums. Currently the plan is to plant the companions near the edge of the raised bed. The plan for bed #2 is tomatoes with collard greens, parsley, thyme, sweet peppers, hot peppers, asparagus and some scattered marigolds. Stay tuned for updates from our little urban organic farm and please shareany of your organic gardening tips and or experiences.
Posted in Food Safety, Green Living, Local Foods, Organic Gardening, Tulsa | No Comments »
The Kid-Safe Chemicals Act
by Tiffany
This presentation is over the findings of Environmental Working Group’s Body Burden 2 - The Pollution in Newborns it is a real eye opener and if you have children, are pregnant, trying, or even thinking of conceving a child it is a must see. The study came out as I was beginning my journey into autism and played a big part of my beginning to realize the toxic soup in which I was living. What disturbs me the most now is that I once thought that if a product was on the market it was safe and just last night I had someone who showed me their polycarbonate (BPA) plastic bottle and recounted the conversation he recenly had with the distributor who said “the product would not be available to sell if it were not safe”. I know now that I have to extensively research everything I use and everything we sell, but not everyone is there yet. As for adults, I am not so concerned, but babies have no choice in the matter. Saving the environment for me is little more than protecting the human race because let’s face it the Earth has the potential to long outlive us. However, for us to survive it is crucial for us to learn to live with and protect nature and stop poisoning ourselves. Environmental Working Group has gone on to present theKid-Safe Chemicals Act which will reform the Toxic Substances Control act that has not been updated since 1976. We can all make a difference by spreading the information as it becomes available so that people can make truly informed choices and if you want to take it a step futher and join Environmental Working Groups push for reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act sign the delcaration.
Posted in Environmental Health Research, Green Pregnancy, Health and Product Safety | No Comments »
Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup!
by Tiffany
I saw this post on High Fructose Corn Syrup Contaminated with Mercury on the Babyminding blog and knew I had to pass it on. High Fructose Corn Syrup was one of the first substances that Jeremy and I eliminated from our diet. Truthfully, I had not given much thought to the matter until working with someone who was so opposed to HFCS that I eventually felt compelled to take a good look at this preservative and sugar substitute; what I came away wondering is why I would choose to put something so refined and enzymatically altered into my body? The other aspect to look at is why HFCS is so prevalent and what it comes down to is corn subsidies which make the substance much less expensive than sugar and other preservatives, but at what cost? Since corn is so highly subsidized, it is our tax dollars that create this unhealthy disparity.
photo by: Gaetan Lee
Since deciding to turn my back on HFCS I have discovered a delightful world of sweeteners that already exist in nature and are also low on the glycemic index like Agave and Stevia. Although I am a convert to the opposition of high fructose corn syrup and have basically eliminated the substance from my diet, I had been in the dark on Mercury Contamination of High Fructose Corn Syrup. This is just another reminder of where over-processed and enzymatically altered substances take us.
Posted in Food Safety | No Comments »
BPA and the Vulnerability of Infants
by Tiffany
A study recently published in environmental perspectives estimates that newborns have 11 times the amount of BPA in their blood due to an inactivity of enzymes that are known to help dismantle BPA. Even more importantly, this is another piece of evidence that newborns and adults metabolize substances differently which calls for chemical exposure standards to take into account the vulnerability of developing systems. When this is taken into account with bisphenol-A (BPA) and the numerous studies linking it to adverse health effects even in low doses that date back to the 1930’s should we really take a chance? Of course, my answer is no. Over the past few months studies have been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences linking low level chronic exposure of BPA to alteration of cognitive function and depression and in The Journal of the American Medical Association linking BPA to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. These on top of the well documented effects BPA has on our endocrine system is enough to inspire me to eliminate this chemical from my life especially since I am in my child bearing years. It was not that long ago that scientists believed the placenta to protect developing fetuses from environmental contaminants, I can even remember being taught by a science teacher that the baby was protected in the womb from toxic substances. However, hard evidence presented through biomonitoring, such as Environmental Working Group’s study on Pollution in Newborns, tells us other wise as newborn umbilical cords have tested positive for over 200 chemicals. Even after pregnancy mothers should not only protect their child from contact with hazardous substances but avoid toxins themselves as chemicals also show up in breast milk. DISCLAIMER: Breast milk is still the best way to nourish your baby. Limiting your exposure to chemicals that you would not want going into your babies mouth is just good practice while breast feeding.
Posted in BPA (bisphenol-A), Green Pregnancy | No Comments »
Salmonella Warning: Watch Out for Peanut Butter
by Tiffany
The CDC and the FDA have been alerting consumers to possible salmonella contamination of peanut butter and other peanut butter containing products. The current investigation centers around King Nut which is produced by Peanut Corporation of America. PCA has recalled peanut butter made on or after August 8, 2008 and peanut butter paste made on or after September 26, 2008. The CDC and the FDA are recommending not to eat recalled items and to hold off on eating peanut butter containing items (i.e., cookies, cereals, crackers, candy, ice cream) as PCA distributes its products to manufacturers who use them as ingredients. As of January 16, 2009 474 people have been infected across 43 states. The infection may have contributed to 6 deaths.
Posted in Food Safety | No Comments »
