Keeping your family safe - Why all the
fuss about BPA?
By Krista Thorne
Baby
Green Pea
What
is it about BPA that makes it so dangerous? Bisphenol A was
originally developed as a chemical estrogen. Substances that act
like hormones in the endocrine system and disrupt it's functioning
are considered endocrine disruptors. Exposure to endocrine disruptors
early in life is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders
and physiological changes. For example, Phthalates detected in
pregnant women were linked to specific genital changes in their
male infants. BPA is now being associated with neurological developmental
delays and ADHD. BPA "reprograms" genes, which means
that toxic effects may show up long after exposure.
There is little question that BPA is dangerous. Now, how to avoid
BPA? Families with infants may chose baby bottles made from glass
or BPA Free plastics. However, if they plan to formula feed, there
is a more present danger. 1 in 3 cans of infant formula had BPA
levels "200 times the government's traditional safe level
of exposure for industrial chemicals." BPA leaches into canned
food from the lining. Beyond formula, this affects the canned
food consumed by the entire family. Pregnant women are advised
to avoid canned foods while pregnant and nursing. To further avoid
BPA, it helps to be aware of the Polycarbonate plastics. These
plastics are hard, clear, and usually marked with a recycling
label #7. Especially avoid these plastics for food storage or
heating.
BPA is now part of our environment. Industry uses more than 6
billion pounds of BPA every year. BPA has a half-life in the human
body of about six hours. Yet, since we're continually exposed,
nearly all of us have measurable blood levels of BPA. The CDC
says that 95% of us carry measurable amounts of BPA in our blood.
Awareness of the toxic chemicals in our environment is important
in this time in human history. Only through supporting organic,
natural, and non-toxic products will humans be able to eradicate
the myriad of toxic chemicals present in our children's environment.
