image courtesy MSNBC
After reading Nicolas Kristof ‘s Dec 5th article Cancer from the Kitchen? it made me wonder why we’re not more outraged as a nation over.......... umm, well, just about everything!!
In the article, Kristof examines common chemicals that we unwittingly ingest; specifically, Endocrine Disruptors (like BPA …ya, know the yummy stuff Lisa wrote about in a previous blog post about canned foods).
Kristoff notes that younger people seem to be developing breast cancer: and that a 10-year-old in California, Hannah, is fighting breast cancer and recording her struggle on a blog.
This makes me want to cry, but it also makes me scared, angry and frustrated. This is not the first article Kristoff has done on Endocrine Disruptors.
In June there was “It’s Time to Learn from Frogs”
”some of the first eerie signs of a potential health catastrophe came as bizarre deformities in water animals, often in their sexual organs.” “Now scientists are connecting the dots with evidence of increasing abnormalities among humans, particularly large increases in numbers of genital deformities among newborn boys. “
The words hermaphrodite and intersex fish jump off the page. MALE FISH LAYING EGGS! !
Kristof……….(exerpt from It’s time to learn from frogs)
Apprehension is growing among many scientists that the cause of all this may be a class of chemicals called endocrine disruptors. They are very widely used in agriculture, industry and consumer products. Some also enter the water supply when estrogens in human urine — compounded when a woman is on the pill — pass through sewage systems and then through water treatment plants.
The NIH, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, defines Endocrine Disruptors…..
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. A wide range of substances, both natural and man-made, are thought to cause endocrine disruption, including pharmaceuticals, dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, DDT and other pesticides, and plasticizers such as bisphenol A. Endocrine disruptors may be found in many everyday products– including plastic bottles, metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides. The NIEHS supports studies to determine whether exposure to endocrine disruptors may result in human health effects including lowered fertility and an increased incidence of endometriosis and some cancers. Research shows that endocrine disruptors may pose the greatest risk during prenatal and early postnatal development when organ and neural systems are forming.
Google endocrine disruptors and you'll see articles going back at least 10 years. I remember reading about the dangers lurking in plastics 17 years or so ago in Natural Health magazine. Look how long it takes for main-stream media to sound the alarm. Do people even care? Tsk, tsk and turn the page. Sometimes it can feel so overwhelming just trying to stay relatively toxin free. You may even feel crazy for your healthy obsessions at times. I say obsession because trying to stay healthy these days feels like a full-time job.
Looking at disease rates in this country has to make one wonder where we’re heading. There are so many chemicals we take in every day (and expel everyday) that affect our bodies and our environment.
Is our modern life killing us?
Maybe it’s time to take a look at your overall daily toxic load to find ways to make positive changes to save your health and the planet.
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
T.S. Eliot
Please read Kristoff’s articles on Endocrine Disruptors
Cancer from the Kitchen? Nicholas D. Kristof Dec 09
It’s Time to Learn From Frogs Nicholas D. Kristof Jun 09
Endocrine Disruptor won’t be on the label USA Today Oct 07
These nasty chemicals are in everything! They’re in you’re health and beauty products, cleaning products, sunscreens, perfumes, and as mentioned above excreted via Birth Control Pills!!!
Maybe we need need to make better decisions when purchasing products that affect our daily toxic load on ourselves and our environment.
I'm going to think about little 10 year old Hannah.........
Maybe NBC's catchphrase for heroes applies
Save the Cheerleader, Save the World
On a positive note..........
Something you can do right now!
Please check out products from Greenology (I bought mine at Lowes). Their Organic Bathroom Cleaner works like crazy for only three something a bottle. It really works!!! I use it in the shower and tub and It works better than that really stinky stuff that's slowly killing us!
Green up!
Mary Ann
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