Cancer article, important please read

[NikoSan999]

If this needs to be moved please do so. Wasn't sure where to put it.
Oldest daughter works for a huge Cancer place as head of HR. She emailed me this article this morning. It was from a boss and he said this was extremely important to read it in his email to everyone.
By the way, I went thru a bunch of plastic containers and some are either NOT marked with a number or I am blind. Some are also not able to be clearly read. But please read. I will definitely take stock of the microwaving in plastic from now on even tho it will be a pain in the ass.



Cancer From the Kitchen?
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
The battle over health care focuses on access to insurance, or tempests like the one that erupted over new mammogram guidelines.
But what about broader public health challenges? What if breast cancer in the United States has less to do with insurance or mammograms and more to do with contaminants in our water or air -- or in certain plastic containers in our kitchens? What if the surge in asthma and childhood leukemia reflect, in part, the poisons we impose upon ourselves?
This last week I attended a fascinating symposium at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, exploring whether certain common chemicals are linked to breast cancer and other ailments.
Dr. Philip Landrigan, the chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai, said that the risk that a 50-year-old white woman will develop breast cancer has soared to 12 percent today, from 1 percent in 1975. (Some of that is probably a result of better detection.) Younger people also seem to be developing breast cancer: This year a 10-year-old in California, Hannah, is fighting breast cancer and recording her struggle on a blog.
Likewise, asthma rates have tripled over the last 25 years, Dr. Landrigan said. Childhood leukemia is increasing by 1 percent per year. Obesity has surged. One factor may be lifestyle changes — like less physical exercise and more stress and fast food — but some chemicals may also play a role.
Take breast cancer. One puzzle has been that most women living in Asia have low rates of breast cancer, but ethnic Asian women born and raised in the United States don’t enjoy that benefit. At the symposium, Dr. Alisan Goldfarb, a surgeon specializing in breast cancer, pointed to a chart showing breast cancer rates by ethnicity.
“If an Asian woman moves to New York, her daughters will be in this column,” she said, pointing to “whites.” “It is something to do with the environment.”
What’s happening? One theory starts with the well-known fact that women with more lifetime menstrual cycles are at greater risk for breast cancer, because they’re exposed to more estrogen. For example, a woman who began menstruating before 12 has a 30 percent greater risk of breast cancer than one who began at 15 or later.
It’s also well established that Western women are beginning puberty earlier, and going through menopause later. Dr. Maida Galvez, a pediatrician who runs Mount Sinai’s pediatric environmental health specialty unit, told the symposium that American girls in the year 1800 had their first period, on average, at about age 17. By 1900 that had dropped to 14. Now it is 12.
A number of studies, mostly in animals, have linked early puberty to exposure to pesticides, P.C.B.’s and other chemicals. One class of chemicals that creates concern — although the evidence is not definitive — is endocrine disruptors, which are often similar to estrogen and may fool the body into setting off hormonal changes. This used to be a fringe theory, but it is now being treated with great seriousness by the Endocrine Society, the professional association of hormone specialists in the United States.
These endocrine disruptors are found in everything from certain plastics to various cosmetics. “There’s a ton of stuff around that has estrogenic material in it,” Dr. Goldfarb said. “There’s makeup that you rub into your skin for a youthful appearance that is really estrogen.”
More than 80,000 new chemicals have been developed since World War II, according to the Children’s Environmental Health Center at Mount Sinai. Even of the major chemicals, fewer than 20 percent have been tested for toxicity to children, the center says.
Representative Louise Slaughter, the only microbiologist in the House of Representatives, introduced legislation this month that would establish a comprehensive program to monitor endocrine disruptors. That’s an excellent idea, because as long as we’re examining our medical system, there’s a remarkable precedent for a public health effort against a toxic substance. The removal of lead from gasoline resulted in an 80 percent decline in lead levels in our blood since 1976 — along with a six-point gain in children’s I.Q.’s, Dr. Landrigan said.
I asked these doctors what they do in their own homes to reduce risks. They said that they avoid microwaving food in plastic or putting plastics in the dishwasher, because heat may cause chemicals to leach out. And the symposium handed out a reminder card listing “safer plastics” as those marked (usually at the bottom of a container) 1, 2, 4 or 5.
It suggests that the “plastics to avoid” are those numbered 3, 6 and 7 (unless they are also marked “BPA-free”). Yes, the evidence is uncertain, but my weekend project is to go through containers in our house and toss out 3’s, 6’s and 7’s.












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[Lindsay E]

This is some pretty scary stuff. I actually watched a documentary not too long ago about the effects of these estrogen-like chemicals on young boys. I think it was called the Disappearing Male. They actually featured a Canadian city near a chemical manufacturing plant where nearly all babies born were girls. I can't remember exactly, but I think the chemicals were causing people to miscarry the boys. What I found really disturbing was that a lot of these scary chemicals can be found in children's soft plastic toys.

I think it would be pretty hard to get rid of ALL the products with these chemicals in our homes, but it can't hurt to be more aware. I'm definitely going to stop putting my plastics in the dishwasher.

[NikoSan999]

I just looked at the post and I'm sorry. I thought I had it , the email stuff, cleaned up and obviously I was wrong. My apology.

[Luv2BeFrugal]

Yikes! That's scary! I think we've gotten mostly BPA free stuff now... Well, what about the ziplock containers that have snap together lids??? I'll have to check those...

So, is it okay to wash the BPA-free stuff in the dishwasher?

[NikoSan999]

Yikes! That's scary! I think we've gotten mostly BPA free stuff now... Well, what about the ziplock containers that have snap together lids??? I'll have to check those...

So, is it okay to wash the BPA-free stuff in the dishwasher?

I asked these doctors what they do in their own homes to reduce risks. They said that they avoid microwaving food in plastic or putting plastics in the dishwasher, because heat may cause chemicals to leach out.

If they, the doctors, are avoiding it then I would say best to avoid it in dishwasher or microwave. I do both but will be stopping.

Problem is I looked at several containers and couldn't see any numbers period.

[littleplum]

I asked these doctors what they do in their own homes to reduce risks. They said that they avoid microwaving food in plastic or putting plastics in the dishwasher, because heat may cause chemicals to leach out.

If they, the doctors, are avoiding it then I would say best to avoid it in dishwasher or microwave. I do both but will be stopping.

Problem is I looked at several containers and couldn't see any numbers period.

My Gladware containers are a 5, if that helps.

We don't microwave in them because we have found that if the food boils, it melts and pits the container.

I am working on my collection of Corelle. Believe it or not, I am collecting those "butterfly gold" casseroles from the 70's. I am seeing more and more of them pop up in antique stores and when I see a particularly nice one with a lid, I buy it.

For now, we microwave in glass bowls, or in the plain white Corelle dishes I have. I like that the salad plates fit right on top of the bowls to make a covered dish for microwaving or refrigerating.

[littleplum]

I just looked at the post and I'm sorry. I thought I had it , the email stuff, cleaned up and obviously I was wrong. My apology.

Just hit the edit button and delete the header.

[baxjul]

Thank you so much for the information. I'm a breast cancer survivor, always worried about a re occurrence. I've been washing my plastic in the dishwasher. I'm going to stop doing that now.

[PlainCash4]

I used to use the ziplock containers, but i have found the PYrex glass containers are much better. It says on the lid to put on the top rack of the dishwaher only. I had wash mine anyway

[NikoSan999]

My Gladware containers are a 5, if that helps.

I am working on my collection of Corelle. Believe it or not, I am collecting those "butterfly gold" casseroles from the 70's. I am seeing more and more of them pop up in antique stores and when I see a particularly nice one with a lid, I buy it.

For now, we microwave in glass bowls, or in the plain white Corelle dishes I have. I like that the salad plates fit right on top of the bowls to make a covered dish for microwaving or refrigerating.

Yes, that does help. I have a few of the Glad. I hate to get rid of the ones I'm unsure of but will do. I have already used plastic in the microwave and convincing hubby not to would be like pulling teeth with a thread and doorknob. But I'm stopping.

Sending you a link, just in case you're interested, to Ebay and the butterfly gold. I ran across it a while back looking for something and saved it. Right now there are 178 things up. Hope this helps with your collection and that the link works.

http://desc.shop.ebay.com/i.html?LH_...&_udlo=&_rdc=2

[littleplum]

Thanks. I prefer to see them in person, because I avoid the ones with even tiny chips. I use them, but I also collect them, so I want only super mint condition containers. I'm a bit picky.

[Jeeg]

I read that about plastic years ago and quit using them. Also read about some dyes put on dinnerware (in the paint) made in other countries. Particularly China.

So I bought all glass containers for mixing, food storage, baking and even went to clear glass plates, bowls, mugs, and drinking glasses!

I also tossed (recycled) all aluminum utensils and bakeware.

I wish my old laptop hadn't died a couple weeks ago, I had tons of links to various studies on there but I never backed up my files

(Please learn from my mistake and go back up all of your files, especially your photos!)

[Lora88]

I think many factors of modern life are causing illness My grandmas who by the way would be considered morbidly obese and had high bp and high cholestral died in thier late 90s healthy to the end. i beileve it was becasue they shopped for thier food daily ate only fresh grew thier own veggies and drank wine with dinner. Also there greatest health asset lack of stress. they may not have had much money but they were content with little and the world was alot simpler I truley believe stress is the number one killer

[NikoSan999]

I think many factors of modern life are causing illness My grandmas who by the way would be considered morbidly obese and had high bp and high cholestral died in thier late 90s healthy to the end. i beileve it was becasue they shopped for thier food daily ate only fresh grew thier own veggies and drank wine with dinner. Also there greatest health asset lack of stress. they may not have had much money but they were content with little and the world was alot simpler I truley believe stress is the number one killer

I so totally agree.. Stress leads not only to heart attacks but stokes and I'm sure more.

[Lindsay E]

Littleplum, you aren't the only one to collect the old Corelle stuff! I'm working on my collection of vintage pyrex as well. I have a bunch of the turquoise cinderella bowls. I would like to get some of the casserole and refrigerator dishes as well, but I only seem to come across ones that seem to be missing their lids! Not that I'm looking too hard, just keeping my eyes open at rummage sales and thrift stores...