New Study on BPA

This morning I got an email from my friend Kim.  She sent an article from the SF Gate about BPA in our everyday items.  I wanted to pass the info on because it states that with a few changes, we can dramatically reduce the BPA in our bodies.  It is important to eliminate as much plastic as possible including cans that are lined with plastic.  I didn't know that coconut milk in cans have such high levels of BPA, guess I am staying away from that!  I switched to glass Tupperware around Christmas and love its convenience. 

The Breast Cancer Fund researched this.  Please watch and make the changes you need for your health and your families!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV_4z7tT1n0]

Study: Packaged food raises levels of bisphenol A

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/29/MNSL1IIVQM.DTL#ixzz1I7G1wIld

Forgoing packaged foods such as canned soups and vegetables could dramatically lower levels of a hormone-disrupting chemical that has been linked to myriad health problems, including birth defects, autism and reproductive issues, according to a study released today.

In the study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, five Bay Area families were asked to eliminate packaged foods from their diets and store food only in glass or stainless steel containers. After only three days, levels of the chemical bisphenol A in the subjects' urine dropped by more than 60 percent, researchers found.

Researchers were surprised by the dramatic drop in levels of the chemical after such a short change in diet, even though it was known that bisphenol A, also known as BPA, does not stay in the body for long.

"We're hoping these very remarkable results will help us in our outreach and education to people to show them how easily changes can be made in their personal habits that may diminish significant exposure to BPA," said Janet Gray, an author of the report and science adviser to the Breast Cancer Fund, a San Francisco advocacy group and partner in the study.

Epoxy resin liners

BPA is used in the epoxy resins used to line metal food cans and lids of glass jars, as well as in some clear plastic containers. It can leach from the liners and plastic containers into food itself. Studies have linked BPA to such health and behavioral problems as birth defects in reproductive systems, early puberty, autism and hyperactivity.

Researchers focused on just five families - 10 adults and 10 children - because they considered the study a pilot project to test the methodology for future research, Gray said. They limited the test period to three days because BPA metabolizes rapidly.

After testing the family members' BPA level in urine samples, researchers provided the families with the three days of organic meals and snacks prepared by a caterer and delivered to their homes last year. Families were instructed to follow very strict protocols if they needed to diverge from the prepared foods for any reason.

The level of BPA found in the family members dropped from an average of 3.7 nanograms per milliliter of urine, which is on par with the national average found in other research, to 1.2 nanograms per milliliter.

Levels of another chemical, DEHP, or bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, which is found in some plastic food packaging and is also linked to reproductive and other health issues, dropped by more than 50 percent. Average BPA levels returned to previous levels after they returned to their normal diets.

Base levels top average

Study participant Monica Laurlund of Alamo said she was shocked by the results. Laurlund, 40, learned about the study through a Craigslist posting and wanted to participate because she was interested in the health effects.

Laurlund is a stay-at-home mom, and her family doesn't eat many prepared foods, so she said she was surprised to learn her family's base BPA levels actually exceeded the national average. The final results spurred her to remove canned foods from her home and replace them with alternatives, such as those packaged in glass or Tetra Pak containers.

"Because it has such a short life in your body, anyone can make these changes," she said. "Those changes are so easy to make, and it's going to affect your body immediately."

Representatives from the grocery and chemical industries say trace BPA levels found in humans are safe.

"We agree with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that foods packaged in cans with epoxy linings that utilize BPA are safe, and that there is no need for consumers to change their consumption habits," the Grocery Manufacturers Association said in a statement.

Industry response

The American Chemistry Council said typical consumer exposure to BPA and DEHP is at least 1,000 times less than government-established safe exposure levels. "This study simply confirms these reassuring points: that consumers have minute exposures to BPA and DEHP from food sources, and that the substances do not stay in the body, but are quickly eliminated through natural means," the group said in response to the study.

Yet there is plenty of debate over whether the government-sanctioned BPA levels are, in fact, safe for humans.

Connie Engel, program coordinator for the Breast Cancer Fund and one of the study's authors, said recent lab studies have found adverse health effects at BPA levels under the government threshold.

Re-exposure

"While it leaves the body pretty rapidly, we're reintroducing it constantly," she said. "If people can make these changes or we have political impact on food packaging, we may see people not constantly be re-exposed."

Engel suggested glass and stainless steel as alternatives. She noted that some BPA alternatives have not been fully tested.

More than 20 states, including California, are considering legislation to curb BPA exposure. So far, the efforts in this state and nationwide have been largely unsuccessful.

Read the report

To view an online copy of the Environmental Health Perspectives study, "Food Packaging and Bisphenol A and Bis (2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate Exposure: Findings From a Dietary Intervention," go to sfg.ly/ePkspk.

Reducing your BPA exposure

-- Use glass or stainless steel containers.

-- Opt for foods packaged in alternatives such as Tetra Pak cartons.

-- Avoid canned foods with the highest BPA concentrations: coconut milk, soup, meat.

-- Frozen fruits or vegetables may be a convenient alternative.

-- Do not microwave food in plastic containers.

Source: Chronicle research

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/29/MNSL1IIVQM.DTL#ixzz1I7FIjqGQ

Things I Adore: Lifefactory Beverage Bottle

I am a sucker for plastic water bottles.  They are easy to grab and the water taste great.  It also helps that you can get them anywhere.  Whenever I wanted to start consuming more water, I would no doubt have it in my hand.  However, post BC (breast cancer), I knew I needed to change this habit.  My Dr. informed me of harmful carcinogens found in plastic water bottles that can lead to cancer. 

Plastic water bottles contain BPA.  BPA stands for Bisphenol-A.  It raises concerns because it mimics the effects of estrogen, interfering with hormone levels and cell signaling systems.  According to the Environment California Research & Policy Center, which reviewed 130 studies on the topic, BPA has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, an increased risk of miscarriage, and decreased testosterone levels. BPA can also wreak havoc on children’s developing systems. (Parents beware: Most baby bottles and sippy cups are made with plastics containing BPA.)

Most experts agree that the amount of BPA that could leak into food and drinks through normal handling is probably very small, but there are concerns about the cumulative effect of small doses.

Health advocates also recommend not reusing bottles made from plastic #1 (polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PET or PETE), including most single-use water, soda and juice bottles. According to The Green Guide, such bottles may be safe for one-time use, but reuse should be avoided because studies indicate they may leach DEHP—another probable human carcinogen—when they are in less than perfect condition.

Because I am looking at every aspect of my life that may have given me this awful cancer, I decided to look for an alternative method of carrying around natures juice.  A few days ago I got Lifefactory Beverage Bottles from amazon.com.  They are 22 ounce glass bottles with a nifty silicon sleeve (for people like me who break EVERYTHING).  Good news-I haven't broken it yet!  It is easy to carry around and easy to clean (thanks to the wide opening).  The wide mouth also makes it easy to add organic lemons, or tea.  I have tried aluminum bottles in the past but the water taste like metal and I heard that they can be lined in plastic.  It is scary where harmful chemicals can be hiding.  I mean who would think that environmentally friendly aluminum bottles would be lined in plastic?  With glass water bottles, I know that it is safe and I can always count on the clean and fresh tasting water to quench my thirst.  They also make smaller versions for our kiddos.       

Lifefactory Beverage Bottles