From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Banish the Toxins

In an effort to minimize our consumption of pesticides and other chemicals, we make a point of buying organic food when we can. But foods aren’t the only things in your kitchen that can harbor harmful ingredients. By now, I’m sure you all know that you should steer clear of certain plastics and not use disinfectants and cleaners that contain poisonous chemicals — but do you know why these things are harmful? I know some of you may say, “We grew up with lead paint and other chemicals and we’re fine.” It’s true that we didn’t know how harmful some products were years ago, but because we didn’t know, does that really mean you’re fine? Do you know exactly what’s going into your body these days? Here’s a little list to help — these are some of the biggest hormone offenders that could be in your kitchen:

* Bisphenol A (BPA): BPAs are chemical compounds that are added to plastics to make them more durable; they’re most commonly found in the linings of food containers, beverage cans, some baby bottles, and drinking bottles, and they can leach out into foods and liquids. Harmful side effects from consuming them can include increased risk of breast and prostate cancers, infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and insulin resistance (which, in turn, can lead to type 2 diabetes). To be safe, store foods in glass containers, drink from stainless steel water bottles, and do your best to avoid canned foods.
* Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): These major endocrine disruptors are chlorinated chemicals that were used as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment; they may still be found in old fluorescent light fixtures and some electrical appliances. Because of evidence that they built up in the environment and caused harmful health effects, their manufacture was banned in the United States in 1977. Because of their persistence in the environment, however, farmed salmon and certain freshwater fish have PCBs circulating in their systems. Don’t take chances when you eat fish — check the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s list of safe fish.
* Volatile oranic compounds (VOCs): These are chemical compounds emitted as gases by such seemingly innocent everyday products as paints, plastics, cleansers, solvents, air fresheners, dryer sheets, dry-cleaned clothing, and cosmetics, and they can cause your endocrine system a whole mess of problems. I’m talking nausea, headaches, drowsiness, sore throat, dizziness, memory impairment, and — in the long run — possibly cancer. For kitchen-cleaning projects, switch to all-natural products, such as baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar, and lemon juice.
* Chlorinated products: We all grew up with them — white paper towels, white paper napkins, and white coffee filters. And most of us don’t think twice about what these products mean for our endocrine systems. But it’s not good: The Environmental Protection Agency found that dioxins, the by-products of many industrial processes involving chlorine, including pulp and paper bleaching, are 300,000 times more carcinogenic than DDT (a synthetic pesticide now banned in the United States). How’s that for a wake-up call? Keep yourself and your family safe and stick to products labeled chlorine-free, or PCF. Your hormones will thank you.

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Banish the Toxins

In an effort to minimize our consumption of pesticides and other chemicals, we make a point of buying organic food when we can. But foods aren’t the only things in your kitchen that can harbor harmful ingredients. By now, I’m sure you all know that you should steer clear of certain plastics and not use disinfectants and cleaners that contain poisonous chemicals — but do you know why these things are harmful? I know some of you may say, “We grew up with lead paint and other chemicals and we’re fine.” It’s true that we didn’t know how harmful some products were years ago, but because we didn’t know, does that really mean you’re fine? Do you know exactly what’s going into your body these days? Here’s a little list to help — these are some of the biggest hormone offenders that could be in your kitchen:

* Bisphenol A (BPA): BPAs are chemical compounds that are added to plastics to make them more durable; they’re most commonly found in the linings of food containers, beverage cans, some baby bottles, and drinking bottles, and they can leach out into foods and liquids. Harmful side effects from consuming them can include increased risk of breast and prostate cancers, infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and insulin resistance (which, in turn, can lead to type 2 diabetes). To be safe, store foods in glass containers, drink from stainless steel water bottles, and do your best to avoid canned foods.
* Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): These major endocrine disruptors are chlorinated chemicals that were used as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment; they may still be found in old fluorescent light fixtures and some electrical appliances. Because of evidence that they built up in the environment and caused harmful health effects, their manufacture was banned in the United States in 1977. Because of their persistence in the environment, however, farmed salmon and certain freshwater fish have PCBs circulating in their systems. Don’t take chances when you eat fish — check the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s list of safe fish.
* Volatile oranic compounds (VOCs): These are chemical compounds emitted as gases by such seemingly innocent everyday products as paints, plastics, cleansers, solvents, air fresheners, dryer sheets, dry-cleaned clothing, and cosmetics, and they can cause your endocrine system a whole mess of problems. I’m talking nausea, headaches, drowsiness, sore throat, dizziness, memory impairment, and — in the long run — possibly cancer. For kitchen-cleaning projects, switch to all-natural products, such as baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar, and lemon juice.
* Chlorinated products: We all grew up with them — white paper towels, white paper napkins, and white coffee filters. And most of us don’t think twice about what these products mean for our endocrine systems. But it’s not good: The Environmental Protection Agency found that dioxins, the by-products of many industrial processes involving chlorine, including pulp and paper bleaching, are 300,000 times more carcinogenic than DDT (a synthetic pesticide now banned in the United States). How’s that for a wake-up call? Keep yourself and your family safe and stick to products labeled chlorine-free, or PCF. Your hormones will thank you.

Toxins are lurking in nearly everything you can think of — and even in things you probably haven’t thought of. Take your clothing, for example. Not only are there dangerous compounds added to fabrics to make them flame-retardant or stain-resistant, but if you dry-clean your clothing, you are throwing even more chemicals into the mix. Since 1992, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Design for the Environment Garment and Textile Care Partnership has been working in partnership with the dry-cleaning industry. Their goal? To reduce exposures to perchloroethylene, or perc, the solvent that approximately 85 percent of the more than 35,000 dry cleaners use on garments and textile products. This nonflammable, synthetic solvent can potentially cause harm to the workers who are exposed to it, as well as to you and the environment. Some studies have shown that workers exposed to perc have higher risks of skin, liver, and kidney damage, and possibly some types of cancer. Perc can also get into our air, water, and soil during several phases of the dry-cleaning process, and it can enter your body through drinking-water contamination, skin exposure, or most frequently, inhalation.

There has been significant decline in the number of cleaners who use perc, and some efforts are underway to phase out perc altogether. The good news is that environmentally preferable alternatives exist, such as professional wet-cleaning, which uses water as a solvent, and cleaning with liquid carbon dioxide. (There are other new alternatives being used that are less harmful than perc, but still have some associated risks, such as one that uses a synthetic petroleum-solvent that is flammable and one that uses a silicone-based solvent that may pose other health issues.) There are growing numbers of “green” cleaners who use these better methods, so be sure to look for one in your community. If your cleaner claims to be Earth-friendly, be sure to ask about the specific methods and chemicals used. Some dry cleaners will advertise as “green,” “organic,” or “environmentally friendly” when their methods are anything but safe for the Earth.

Don’t buy or wear clothing containing other toxins either:

Avoid flame-retardant clothing. Make sure your kids’ pajamas do not include polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), chemicals linked to thyroid disruption, learning, hearing, and memory problems, decreased sperm count, and birth defects.

Skip stain-resistant and water-repellant clothing. No one wants to walk around wearing their lunch on their clothes, but the price you pay to prevent salad dressing or sauce splashes on your shirt or tie isn’t worth it. Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are synthetic chemicals designed to repel grease and water (a lot of treated water-repellant outerwear is coated with PFCs). One PFC compound used to make stain-resistant fabrics and believed to cause birth defects and cancer was found to be highly concentrated in the breast milk of nursing mothers. Choose alternatives to clothing with Teflon labels or items treated for water- or stain-resistance.

Wear organic clothing. Typically, cotton farmers use the most (and most damaging) pesticides. Seek out organic cotton especially for sheets and baby clothes. Your body, your kids’ bodies, and the planet will be much happier.

From Jillian *

Toxins are lurking in nearly everything you can think of — and even in things you probably haven’t thought of. Take your clothing, for example. Not only are there dangerous compounds added to fabrics to make them flame-retardant or stain-resistant, but if you dry-clean your clothing, you are throwing even more chemicals into the mix. Since 1992, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Design for the Environment Garment and Textile Care Partnership has been working in partnership with the dry-cleaning industry. Their goal? To reduce exposures to perchloroethylene, or perc, the solvent that approximately 85 percent of the more than 35,000 dry cleaners use on garments and textile products. This nonflammable, synthetic solvent can potentially cause harm to the workers who are exposed to it, as well as to you and the environment. Some studies have shown that workers exposed to perc have higher risks of skin, liver, and kidney damage, and possibly some types of cancer. Perc can also get into our air, water, and soil during several phases of the dry-cleaning process, and it can enter your body through drinking-water contamination, skin exposure, or most frequently, inhalation.

There has been significant decline in the number of cleaners who use perc, and some efforts are underway to phase out perc altogether. The good news is that environmentally preferable alternatives exist, such as professional wet-cleaning, which uses water as a solvent, and cleaning with liquid carbon dioxide. (There are other new alternatives being used that are less harmful than perc, but still have some associated risks, such as one that uses a synthetic petroleum-solvent that is flammable and one that uses a silicone-based solvent that may pose other health issues.) There are growing numbers of “green” cleaners who use these better methods, so be sure to look for one in your community. If your cleaner claims to be Earth-friendly, be sure to ask about the specific methods and chemicals used. Some dry cleaners will advertise as “green,” “organic,” or “environmentally friendly” when their methods are anything but safe for the Earth.

Don’t buy or wear clothing containing other toxins either:

Avoid flame-retardant clothing. Make sure your kids’ pajamas do not include polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), chemicals linked to thyroid disruption, learning, hearing, and memory problems, decreased sperm count, and birth defects.

Skip stain-resistant and water-repellant clothing. No one wants to walk around wearing their lunch on their clothes, but the price you pay to prevent salad dressing or sauce splashes on your shirt or tie isn’t worth it. Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are synthetic chemicals designed to repel grease and water (a lot of treated water-repellant outerwear is coated with PFCs). One PFC compound used to make stain-resistant fabrics and believed to cause birth defects and cancer was found to be highly concentrated in the breast milk of nursing mothers. Choose alternatives to clothing with Teflon labels or items treated for water- or stain-resistance.

Wear organic clothing. Typically, cotton farmers use the most (and most damaging) pesticides. Seek out organic cotton especially for sheets and baby clothes. Your body, your kids’ bodies, and the planet will be much happier.

From Jillian *