I just read an interesting article in the June 2012 issue of Whole Living (you know how I love my magazines!). It discusses what they name “Your Enemies”. Here is the list:
1. BPA (Bisphenol-A): I first heard about this when I was at the tail end of G’s bottle feeding. It was as if I woke up one morning and it was all over the news – baby bottles had BPA!! I completely freaked out. Like many other bottle-feeding mamas out there, I ran to the nearest baby store and grabbed a bunch of the BPA-Free labeled bottles. BPA is also known as xenoestrogen – it can bind to the body’s estrogen receptors and really cause issues. These issues include depression, sleeplessness, weight gain, and irritability. Now, way past the bottle stage, I still keep my eyes peeled for labels specifically stating BPA-Free. Some precautions you can take – switch to glass water bottles and drinkware. Never microwave food in plastic containers – this is something I am guilty of, especially when it comes to my work lunches. No more!!
2. Atrazine: this newbie to me is what is found in inorganic crops. It is a pesticide (used in the US but banned in Europe back in 2003…hmmm) that can affect your nervous and reproductive systems. WHA???? What you can do – I would love to buy everything organic but come across hurdles. One hurdle – availability where I commonly shop. The second and most common hurdle – the cost associated. If cost is your biggest hurdle, don’t fret! Go by the EWG Dirty Dozen list! The Dirty Dozen list, you say? Here it is:
- Apples
- Celery
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Spinach
- Imported nectarines
- Grapes
- Bell peppers
- Potatoes
- Blueberries
- Lettuce
- Kale
Um…I eat a lot of that and so do my kids – I am going to print that list out and bring it with me to the store…
3. Dioxins: These are commonly found in meat, fish, dairy, and shellfish. They are also known as PCDDs, PCDFs, or TCDDs. They have been linked to lower sperm counts, breast cancer, and other developmental and reproductive disorders. This is getting quite scary!!! What you CAN eat – try to go for the grass-fed animals and organic when you can.
This article touches on 6 other items that are definitely worth your time reading about them! (One of them being phthalates…I wrote about those in a previous post.) Do what you can to make your and your family’s life that much healthier. I know that you hear on the news that coffee is good for you and then the next day it isn’t…just try to do what you can, filter what you feel is most important.
What tips do you have? Please post below!
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