Plastics-The Hormone Disrupter

Plastic is the number one substance used in our society for the storage of food and beverages for consumption. Plastic is easy and cost efficient to make, it is nice and clear so we can see through it, and it is quite durable. However, hiding out inside most plastics are substances that are harmful to you and your children. Bisphenol A, better known as BPA, is a key building block in plastics. In the United States alone more than 2.3 billion pounds of BPA is manufactured annually. BPA is used in polycarbonate plastics to help with the strength, clearness, and yes for anti-corroding purposes. In fact many tin cans, such as soup cans and baby formula cans are coated on the inside with BPA to prevent corrosion. The problem is BPA is leaking into our beverages and food and corroding our bodies.
Bisphenol A is a substance that mimics the hormone estrogen when it is in our bodies. Although all of us produce estrogen, yes including males, too much or too little of the substance can cause significant health problems. Some of the more common side effects of increased/decreased estrogen are an increase in body fat and weight gain, depression, anxiety, cyclical migraines, impairs blood sugar control, interferes with thyroid hormone function, and neural and behavioral problems in children. Currently much research is being done on the affects of BPA on the body and we will definitely be hearing more and more about the negative impact it has on our society. In fact some states are looking into outlawing its use in containers that are used to store food and beverages, especially baby bottles and formula cans. Babies are more susceptible to having a higher concentration because their systems are slower to break BPA down. Another reason that babies face the highest exposure is because BPA leaches out 55 times faster when exposed to hot liquids or heat in general. Baby bottles are routinely placed in hot water to warm up the formula, which itself contains BPA from the container it is stored in. However drinking from plastic water bottles can also increase a person’s exposure to BPA. Researchers from Harvard found that people who drank from clear plastic polycarbonate bottles for a week increased concentrations of BPA in their urine by 69 %( WOW!)
The good news is that we can greatly reduce our babies and children’s exposure by using products that are BPA free, especially bottles. You also want to take it further and look at plastic utensils and plates. Plastic plates are commonly used for infants and easy to put in the microwave, which causes an increased leaching of BPA and phthalates, another hormone disrupter. Do not forget plastic toys that babies and toddlers like to put in their mouth as well as teething devices. There are currently 7 different kinds of plastics on the market that are identified with a number 1-7 that is placed on the packaging or container for identification. Remember #3, #6, and #7 as the ones to avoid. #3 is pvc plastics that can leach out phthalates, which is also considered a hormone disrupter. #6 is polystyrene or Styrofoam plastics that leach carcinogenic toxins when heated. #7 is polycarbonate plastics that most baby bottles and reusable water bottles are made from. There are some BPA free #7 plastics that incorporate recycled material that are safe. However read the fine print to make sure that all parts of the container are made with the BPA free material. Lastly, all plastics are recyclable. Please be kind to our environment and recycle them. However, invest in products that you can reuse over and over to help reduce the carbon foot print even further.
Please check out our BPA free products at www.growgreenbaby.com!! Use coupon code: BPA to recieve 10% off our selected BPA free products. Products include; Green to Grow Bottles, Plan Toys, Safe Sippy, Bambu and Green Toys!!!