Are Hard Plastics Safe? Part 1

by: AndreaDow
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Wednesday, April 23rd

As a new mom, I am very cautious about the plastic products I buy for my family, especially our baby. I have converted to SIGG water bottles and no longer heat any food in plastic containers. I even use Born Free bottles for baby Julia and have plastic-safe pacifiers. I took action after hearing that Bisphenol A, or BPA, may be harmful for fetuses, infants and children. Here is the latest information that you need to know about the safety of plastics thanks to the Nutrition Action Healthletter....

Lucky number 7 is not so lucky when it comes to plastics. The No. 7 recycling symbol represents a plastic that is clear, tough and lightweight which makes it ideal for water bottles, sippy cups, food containers and even bulletproof glass. Polycarbonate is the substance responsible for making these products and it is made from BPA. Where else is BPA found? The epoxy resins that line many canned goods are also made from BPA. I had no idea that when food comes in contact with the liner, small amounts of BPA are leached into the food product. It is clear that nearly 100% of our exposure to BPA comes from one of the above two sources.

Why the big health concern? The big worry is that BPA mimics the powerful hormone, estrogen, by activating the same receptors in the body. Some experts think that BPA can actually disrupt the endocrine system. In several studies, animal exposure to low doses of BPA resulted in a "wide range of adverse affects" according to author David Schardt. Possible health concerns include breast and prostate cancers, early onset of puberty in girls, type 2 diabetes, obesity, ADHD, problems with brain development in young babies, decline in semen quality and urogenital abnormalities in male babies. There is a heated debate between researchers right now as to whether BPA can actually contribute to the above problems, but the evidence of a potential link is alarming. The National Institute of Environmental Health Services is preparing to release their BPA recommendations this spring and the United States EPA has announced that they will be reviewing BPA's safety. David Schardt also reports that the California EPA is considering whether BPA should be included on its list of 65 chemicals that can possibly cause birth defects and cancer.

The bottom line is to make sure that if you fall into the following categories, try avoiding BPA.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, young kids, infants and adolescents.

Stay tuned for my next blog where I will detail what steps you need to take to reduce your BPA exposure.....

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