Every year around Mother’s Day, my son and daughter (pictured with me, above) want to know what they can get me. I’m not big on buying a lot of presents, especially given how much stuff I already have. But I always make a point of telling them to skip anything having to do with cosmetics, fragrances, and other “fancy” personal care products. Why? Because I have no idea what they’re made of. That’s especially true after having watched The Human Experiment, a new documentary produced and narrated by Academy Award-winner Sean Penn.

Most chemicals circulating in our environment today have NOT been tested for their long-term impacts on human health. The Human Experiment film shines a very needed spotlight on the devastating impact untested chemicals can have on our health.

I was invited to attend the film’s premiere in Beverly Hills, thanks to Rachel Sarnoff of MommyGreenest.com and a long-time advocate of non-toxic living. Sean Penn introduced the film by noting how important it is for consumers to understand the health threats we face from living day-to-day with the more than 80,000 chemicals that circulate around us.

The documentary explains in heartbreaking detail how vulnerable we all are to toxic chemicals that companies are allowed to use until they’re proven dangerous. It tells the stories of three women whose lives have been turned upside down by what they believe are toxic chemical exposures. One young, fit and seemingly healthy woman can’t get pregnant. Finally, after fertility treatments, she conceives twins, but one of the babies is born so weak he cannot survive. Another women talks about the ways she thinks chemical exposures might have contributed to her brother’s autism. Another 30-something woman gets breast cancer – even though she takes good care of herself, eats right, is not overweight, and doesn’t smoke.

A study by the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows that American women put, on average, 168 different chemicals on their bodies each day, and many of those chemicals are dangerous.

According to EWG’s study, those chemicals are delivered via the soap, shampoo, body lotion, make-up, deodorant and even toothpaste we use. Most of us don’t give our personal hygiene regimens much thought. We do what we’ve always done: lather, rinse, repeat. And because we can buy the products we use online or at the store, we generally assume that they’re safe to use.

Unfortunately, that burden of proof usually falls on consumers. Most of us can’t afford to pay for the extensive testing required to prove whether the products we buy, and the chemicals in them, are safe.

That’s why two U.S. Senators, calling for toxic chemical reform, are pushing passage of the Personal Care Products Safety Act.

That’s also why BigGreenPurse.com encourages shoppers to shift their spending to the healthiest, safest products available. If you visit TheHumanExperimentmovie.com, make sure you click on Switch to Safer to see the safer products the film’s producers recommend. It will make a difference, not just to you, but to the manufacturers who need to change their ingredients lists. Rachel Sarnoff of MommyGreenest.com, agrees. “In America, consumers seem to be the only group forcing manufacturers to change. It’s only when shoppers demand cleaner alternatives that companies develop non-toxic formulations. And it’s working: The green chemistry market, which was assessed at $800 million in 2011, is projected to reach $2.7 billion this year.”

Yes, it’s ridiculous that you can’t really think about buying your mother (or spouse, or partner, or yourself) a bottle of perfume or some fancy make-up or even an afternoon at the spa without worrying that the chemicals in these “gifts” could make her sick. But right now, if you’re planning to shop for Mother’s Day, you’re probably better off choosing something other than personal care products.

No matter when you shop, shift your spending to products that do not contain some of the worst chemical offenders:

* phthalates

* diazolidinyl urea

* lead acetate

* methylene glycol/formaldehyde

* propyl paraben

* quarternium-15

And make sure you don’t miss The Human Experiment. You can download it on Vimeo here, or look for it at your local movie theater.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Non-Toxic Personal Care

How to Avoid Toxic Chemicals in Make-up When Pregnant

Is There Mercury in Your Mascara? Probably.

The post Mother’s Day Highlights Need for Toxic Chemical Reform appeared first on Big Green Purse.

There are several different types of breast cancer. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America explains them clearly here. There are also many possible causes of breast cancer:

* Heredity plays a role in about 15% of women who get breast cancer. In other words, if your mother, sister, or aunt had breast cancer, you’re slightly more at risk for getting it, too.

* Long-term heavy smoking is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer. You may believe that smoking only causes lung cancer. But it’s affects breast cancer as well.

* Toxic chemicals and endocrine disruptors in the environment are increasingly being linked to breast cancer and a variety of other health problems.  Endocrine disruptors are synthetic chemical compounds that mimic female hormones. They’re found in some plastics, feed that’s given to cows, and certain cosmetics and personal care products. Pesticides and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) could pose a breast cancer risk, too, says the American Cancer Society. (Here’s how you can avoid endocrine disruptors day-to-day.)

* Simply being a woman is the main risk factor for developing breast cancer. Men can contract this disease as well, but it is 100 times more common among women than men, since women have more of the hormones that promote breast cancer cell growth.

Early detection starts with you. That’s why self-exams are so important. Pick a regular day each month so it becomes a habit to give yourself a breast check-up. Here are three ways to give yourself a breast self-exam that both BreastCancer.org and the National Breast Cancer Foundation recommend:

Lying Down:

* Place a pillow under your right shoulder and put your right arm behind your head.

* Using your left hand, move the pads of your fingers around your right breast gently in small circular motions, covering the entire breast area and armpit. Use light, medium, and firm pressure.

* Squeeze the nipple; check for discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps for your left breast.

Remember: If you notice anything at all that strikes you as unusual, set up an appointment with your health care provider. She will probably ask you to come in for a clinical exam, and possibly a mammogram. If you do have breast cancer, you will have found it sooner rather than later.

In Front of a Mirror:

* Visually inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides.

* Next, raise your arms high overhead. Look for any changes in the contour, any swelling or dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipples.

* Now, rest your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. Don’t be concerned that your left and right breasts don’t exactly match; few women’s breasts do. Look for any dimpling, puckering, or changes on each breast individually.

Again, if you feel or see anything that seems unusual, make an appointment with your healthcare provider.

In the Shower:

* As the picture above shows, using the pads of your fingers, move around your entire breast in a circular pattern. Move from the outside to the center.

* Check the entire breast and armpit area. Feel for any lump, thickening, or hardened knot.

* Check both breasts around the same time each month so you become familiar with your breast tissue and will be able to recognize anything out of the ordinary.

If you notice any changes, make an appointment to see your healthcare provider immediately.

I spend a lot of time here at Big Green Purse trying to raise awareness about ways to prevent cancer by reducing our exposure to toxic chemicals and pollution. But that’s only half the battle when it comes to breast cancer.

Stay well. Check your breasts!

RELATED POSTS

Report Links Breast Cancer to Environmental Factors

Shift Your Spending to Prevent Breast Cancer

Environmental Risks to Women’s Health

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Safer products for women have been around for years, primarily in response to their strong consumer demand. Guys can have a similar impact on manufacturers, by choosing the safest products available. These deodorant options, all of which are highly rated for health and safety by Environmental Working Group, are a good place to start:

Crystal deodorant:   This clear, rock-like product uses mineral salts to reduce the bacteria that cause body odor.   Just moisten the crystal and rub it under your arm; it dries immediately.  The line has a product specifically for men. Added  Benefit: the Crystal company is the top rated natural or conventional deodorant according to the analysis of Environmental Working Group. The company also supports “The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics” and pledges that any products it makes will “meet the standards and deadlines set by the European Union Directive 76/768/eeC to be free of chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation or birth defects.” Here’s some additional useful background on crystal deodorants.

Tom’s of Maine Unscented Deodorant stick: makes four different deodorants from ingredients like hops, chamomile, and lemongrass.  You can purchase the deodorant fragrance-free, or scented with calendula, woodspice, or honeysuckle rose.  Tom’s is  available at most grocery and drug stores, including  Rite Aid and Walgreens, but can also be purchased online.

Aubrey Organics uses herbal extracts and vitamin E in their Men’s Stock Natural Dry Herbal Pine deodorant.   The deodorant comes in spray form (but not an aerosol can) and can be purchased directly from the company’s website as well as in natural foods and Whole Foods stores.

Want more information on safe personal care products? Here you go.

(Research by Katie Kelleher)

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*  Breast cancer strikes more women in the world than any other type of cancer except skin cancer.

* In the U.S., a woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer increased steadily and dramatically during the 20th century.

* Today, a woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is one in eight.

* The increasing incidence of breast cancer over the decades following World War II paralleled the proliferation of synthetic chemicals.

* An estimated 80,000 synthetic chemicals are used today in the U.S.; another 1,000 or more are added each year. Complete toxicological screening data are available for just 7 percent of these chemicals.

* Many of these chemicals persist in the environment, accumulate in body fat, and may remain in breast tissue for decades. Many have never been tested for their effects on human health.

Thanks to reduced use of hormone therapy, breast cancer rates for women over 50 may be declining.  Nevertheless, 216 chemicals and radiation sources have been linked to breast cancer and all women remain susceptible. Of particular concern are the agents known as endocrine disruptors. These are chemicals that mimic our natural endocrine system and ultimately disrupt the work it does to regulate growth, reproduction and other human health conditions.

Protect Yourself from Breast Cancer

Dr. Gray says that one important way consumers can protect themselves is to avoid products that contain endocrine disruptors like phthalates, parabens, growth hormones in meat and dairy products, and bisphenol A.

* Choose phthalate-free perfumes, soaps, shampoos, lotions and even nail polish.

* Avoid parabens. Parabens, a preservative, are being replaced by ascorbic acid.

* Eat organic food and dairy products. Cows that graze on organic feed and in free-range conditions will be free of artificial hormones.

* Skip plastic water bottles. Consumers can avoid bisphenol A by choosing stainless steel water bottles rather than hard plastic, and glass over plastic or metal cans for the food they buy.

These “big green purse” options will not only protect women individually. The way women spend their money sends a direct message to manufacturers. Saying “no” to breast cancer by choosing the safest products and services will pressure companies to say “no” to these same chemicals before they’re even added to the product.

Download a complete copy of the report here.

RELATED POSTS

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Those chemicals include diesel exhaust, chemicals that are put into personal care products, and plastic softeners. Of the 216 specific chemicals that cause mammary gland tumors either in animals or humans:

— 73 have been present in consumer products or as contaminants in food
— 35 are air pollutants
— 25 have been associated with occupational exposures affecting more than 5,000 women a year
— 29 are produced in the United States in amounts often exceeding 1 million pounds per year.

Fortunately, to some degree, being forewarned is forearmed. According to the study’s scientists, who included researchers at the Silent Spring Institute in Massachusetts, and the Texas-based Susan G. Komen organization, limiting routine exposures — our so-called “body burden” — can  “significantly reduce the risk of cancer for many thousands of women.”

How can we protect ourselves from many of these chemicals and prevent breast cancer?

We can start by shifting our spending to products that contain less harmful ingredients, including:

• Personal care products that are free of parabens (often found in preservatives) and phthalates (often found in fragrances).
• Organic consumer products – not just fruits and vegetables, but cosmetics and body lotions and cleansers as well.
• Fuel-efficient vehicles and energy-efficient appliances to reduce the combustion of fossil fuels.

We can also minimize the number of products we use over all.

Individually and collectively, we can make a difference, and we must. Breast cancer is the largest cause of death in U.S. women in mid-life. While other risk factors — family history, age at menarche and menopause, age of first full-term pregnancy — cannot be easily avoided, chemical exposures can.

A searchable database of all 216 chemicals, including detailed information on 97 of the most widespread, is available at http://www.komen.org/environment and http://www.silentspring.org/sciencereview. The database also summarizes significant research linking breast cancer and diet, physical activity, body size, environmental pollutants and genetics.

The post Shift your Spending to Prevent Breast Cancer appeared first on Big Green Purse.

For example:

Breast Cancer – Industrial chemicals that act like the hormones estrogen and progesterone may be adding to a woman’s breast cancer risk.

Heart Disease – Air pollution, exposure to arsenic, lead and mercury, and of course cigarette smoking and second-hand smoke make us more susceptible to heart disease.

Endometriosis – Endometriosis affects 1 out of 10 women in the U.S. Some contaminants that may increase our risk for this condition include dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and radiation.

Diabetes – A recent study showed that chronic exposure to Bisphenol A, a chemical found in some plastics and food can linings, causes insulin resistance in laboratory animals, leading to Type II diabetes. Other studies showed that exposure to organochlorines (which may be found in pesticides) may also lead to diabetes.

To download the entire kit, as well as some great tips for action at home and in your community, visit the Women’s Health and Environment website.

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