The Plague of Plastic.. check this out!

Are You Eating These "Obesogens" in Your Food?
by Sue Heintze, Fitness & Nutrition Expert

Scientists have recently discovered that certain chemicals we are exposed to in our environment and our food that can also wreak havoc with our hormones. These have been termed ‘Obesogens’.

Everyday chemicals - particularly those in certain foods, pesticides, canned foods and plastics - are partially to blame for the obesity epidemic. Of course, there's a lot more to it regarding the changes in our food supply over the years, but these harmful chemicals are one of the elements making the problem worse. These estrogenic substances are ingested in significant enough amounts to trigger your body to hold on to its stubborn fat stores.

*Reference: Hormonal Balance, Understanding Hormones, Weight and Your Metabolism - Scott Isaacs (M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.E.)

These chemicals mimic estrogen and cause all kinds of chaos in your body (for both men and women), including:

* Forcing your pancreas to crank out too much insulin, encouraging your body to store fat
* Preventing the release of the hormone leptin (which tells your body that you are full)

You may be aware of all the recent commotion in the news about a toxic substance called Bisphenol A (BPA).

This particular toxic chemical is found in bottles made from polycarbonate plastic – the kind of plastic used to make hard drinking bottles and food storage containers. The #7 on the bottle indicates it contains BPA.

*If the plastic is NOT labeled with a number you can assume it too might be loaded with BPA.

So far BPA has been linked to health problems such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes and has also been shown to affect reproductive development. So, if there are any mums reading, or future mums; take special note. Don’t endanger your children or future children by exposing them to these toxins.

Extreme temperatures can make plastics even more dangerous. You should never microwave plastic or expose it to extreme heat as this causes toxins from the plastic to be leached into the food.

Some canned foods also contain BPA. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) BPA is at unsafe levels in one of every 10 servings of canned foods (11%) and one of every 3 cans of infant formula (33%).

The EWG states that even low doses of BPA can spur both the growth and formation of fat cells.

The EWG reports:

“The unusually broad toxicity of BPA is explained by a prominent scientist as stemming from the fact that BPA can alter the behaviour of over 200 genes — more than one per cent of all human genes (Myers 2006). These genes control the growth and repair of nearly every organ and tissue in the body. Taken in its totality, the range of toxic effects linked to BPA is startlingly similar to the litany of human health problems on the rise or common across the population, including breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, obesity, infertility, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (Myers 2007).

Yet despite its ubiquity and toxicity, BPA remains entirely without safety standards. It is allowed in unlimited amounts in consumer products, drinking water, and food, the top exposure source for most people. The lack of enforceable limits has resulted in widespread contamination of canned foods at levels that pose potential risks. For instance, analysis of our tests reveals that for one of every five cans tested, and for one-third of all vegetables and pastas (ravioli and noodles with tomato sauce), a single serving would expose a pregnant woman to BPA at levels that fall within a factor of 5 of doses linked to birth defects — permanent damage of developing male reproductive organs.”

Thankfully, there are many products on the market now that are BPA-free, particularly in baby bottles and feeding utensils. The fact that these companies have gone to great lengths to avoid using BPA and advertise the fact very clearly on the packaging, shows that this toxic chemical is indeed a big issue.

I was appalled to find out only recently that the spring water bottles I have been using for years are full of BPA! And this is from one of the largest water bottlers in the country. Suffice to say I have since researched and sourced a different company to purchase my drinking water from.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to know what products are safe and what products are potentially hazardous to our health, and our waistlines. We need to be aware and informed, and I’ve made it my business to make sure that you are!
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