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Choices4Wellness
Bisphenol A ..... The next Patsy?
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Bisphenol A has become controversial because it mimics estrogen in the body and thus could induce hormonal responses. How does this happen is the bigger question I ask?So..... What about all the other plastics we use....?
We buy with plastic, we drive in plastic, we cook in plastic, some of us put plastic in our bodies for cosmetic or replacement purposes we are in a plastic world!!! It's our choice! albeit many times the incorrect one. First I want to get into US looking out for ourselves once again and making it OUR choice to be healthy!!
On the bottom of plastic bottles most will have a number in a triangle, This is called PETE or PET (polyethylene terephthalate)
No. 1 PETE or PET (polyethylene terephthalate): Used for most clear beverage bottles.
No. 2 HDPE (high density polyethylene): Used for "cloudy" milk and water jugs, opaque food bottles.
No. 3 PVC or V (polyvinyl chloride): Used in some cling wraps, some soft bottles.
No. 4 LDPE (low density polyethylene): Used in food storage bags and some soft bottles.
No. 5 PP (polypropylene): Used in rigid containers, including some baby bottles, and some cups and bowls.
No. 6 PS (polystyrene): Used in foam clam-shell-type containers, meat and bakery trays, and in its rigid form, clear take-out containers, some plastic cutlery and cups. Polystyrene may leach styrene into food it comes into contact with.
No. 7 Other (usually polycarbonate): Used in 5-gallon water bottles, some baby bottles, some metal can linings. Polycarbonate can release its primary building block, bisphenol A, a suspected hormone disruptor, into liquids and foods.
Now I got this summary of Pet products form the Web but let's look a little deeper.
I will give you a little insight into the future as I see what could happen soon..The bigger picture...... We as a whole meaning the Natural health industry for 10 plus years have been warning the public of plastics..
1. No heating in the microwave ..and most if not all health advocates say don't use the microwave..but that's another column.
2. saran wrap over hot food and placing in the fridge, the hot trapped air between food and plastic causes water droplets on the plastic dripping the chemicals back into your food and if there is fat content in your food it is twice as bad – again another column. Have you ever felt the hot wrap go from rigid to almost sticky you can see the difference. We just don't tend to pay attention.
3. Don't freeze plastic when unfrozen it can leach plastic back into your food. Now the worst with this is taking out the frozen plastic and throwing it in the microwave to cook it a double whammy....ouch....hey we've all done it ..is it it safe.....NO!!!!!!
4. The most important in my books is the water bottle!
Going back to all of the above involving the water bottle the harm is reusing the cheap bottles and this has been told time and time again not to use the #1 pet thru #3 pet bottles more than once. Is the media saying this? No wonder why? The #1 thru #3 are much easier to make and less expensive to make this is the biggest reason ..believe me it is never about our health!
What is inside the plastic? antimony trioxide:
It's absorbed by the digestive system and known to pass into breast milk! Acute poisoning is rare, and the signs are fairly non-characteristic such as vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and cardiac irregularities.
Check out the MDS sheet : HYPERLINK "http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtm...l/a7236.htm" http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtm...l/a7236.htm
On the page you will note : HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED, with a health rating of 3 meaning SEVERE (LIFE) AND A WARNING: THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS A CHEMICAL(S) KNOWN TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER.
Why aren't they talking about this compound? TOO BIG of an issue? I think so..
Try this experiment at home take a #1PET bottle, freeze it, take it out and let it unthaw, look at it up at a light source and you will see floaties in the water, now if it was spring water you will see TDS (total dissolved solids) and you will see plastic floating around.
If you use reverse osmosis in the plastic you will only see plastic floaties. If you use tap water and because chlorine degrades plastic you will see a lot of plastic particles!!!
HYPERLINK "http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/uscities/c...ontents.asp" http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/uscities/c...ontents.asp
So what am I saying? I think there is a bigger problem and or situation around the corner!
The problem I see is that city (tap) water and many well waters are contaminated and it is not getting better. Secondly it takes 2 oz. of oil to produce 1 300ml water bottle, there are no regulations on these bottles , it is big business and the governing body whom ever that may be is deflecting all of the blame to the # 7 PET......supposedly in the media and government eyes to be the worst of the worst for Bisphenol A!
The Health industry promotes glass to be the best alternative, stainless steel and Yes #7 PET! We have all of these products at Choices4wellness and can order at HYPERLINK "http://www.choices4wellness.ca" www.choices4wellness.ca including glass baby bottles.....
Now I will focus on #7 for the 5 gallon jugs for water consumption.
Here are the facts that the media has not shared. Not all bottles are harmful meaning that if you keep the bottles at room temperature, you don't freeze them or keep them in the hot sun then they are safe..SAFE. We have to make good decisions. Where did you get your bottle of water ? Was it sitting on the shelf at a supermarket maybe against the window ? For how long? Who had it before you? What was it cleaned with or was it?
My suggestion buy your own empty 2 gallon, 3 gallon or 5 gallon and fill it yourself at a self serve reverse osmosis filling centre! Ask questions! Does the area look clean is there dust etc. around the machine is it cleaned and with what. Don't clean your bottle with bleach!!!!! Clean it with peroxide totally natural and will kill any bacteria in your bottle and will not leave any smell.
I stand behind the fact that the more harmful of all plastics are the use of them and the Pet #1, #2,#3 thru #5 are the most dangerous but unfortunately the most used. So we as consumers will not see a change in the production of these. Again instead they are focusing on the #7 Pet products the very products that hold the cleanest water reverse osmosis......interesting..... I think the very water that is against city tap water(chlorinated) and country well water(harmful pesticides and excess iron etc.) that unfortunately over time causes many illnesses including cancer.
To leave a smaller footprint on the earth buy an in home water system. They have come down in price from $1200 dollars to around $700.00 installed these are usually a 5 stage reverse osmosis system supplying 50 gallons a day. Remember there are a lot of systems out there make sure they are of a quality source so you get quality water they will differ depending on your local. In the city vs. country will determine what you can or can't use and to what cost it will be in regards to your situation.
We have a service company that will provide the installation for this type of unit or any of your in home needs. With the proper details we can direct you to the product or people to provide you with the best quality water systems for your familyís health at HYPERLINK "http://www.choices4wellness.ca" www.choices4wellness.ca
In conclusion is bisphenol A harmful : Yes!
I believe there is WAY MORE HARM in other plastics and it is more than just BPA!
What degree is determined if used improperly. The answer is the bigger picture the whole plastic industry in large with chemicals like Antimony Trioxide..... and it will not go away.
Companies in the natural health industry quality ones pride themselves on these things
Flora : they use glass bottles for their products
New Chapters : glass bottles
Genuine Health: ( greens + ), no BPA in their plastic
These are just a few that have been looking out for Us the consumer for years! before all of this talk of Bisphenol A.
So......we have to make the proper choice 4 you and your family. An informed one!!!!
Thanks for reading
Greg Foster (owner of Choices4wellness)
Inspiration for the week:
"Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure." Oprah Winfrey
Greg Foster, owner of Choices4Wellness has a long history in the Natural Health industry. Since 1987 Greg's goal has been to own and operate his own store. While working toward his goal, he was a sales associate for Prolab a sports nutrition company. Greg also worked as a personal trainer and helped people achieve their fat loss and fitness goals, while also teaching them that these goals were about a "whole" lifestyle approach and the benefits of supplements and healthy food choices . Always teaching that it's about FAT LOSS not weight loss, Greg is now able to live out his dream of owning a health food store so that he can better meet the needs of his clients. Greg has a personal training room at the store where he has one on one time with his clients. They range from teenagers to couples that want personalized time and attention to achieve fitness goals without the busy atmosphere of a gym, where sometimes your precious work-out time is gobbled up by socializing and waiting your turn on the equipment.. It is during this time that Greg is able to recommend lifestyle choices to enhance your work-out routine & a positive mental attitude. Being a father of 3 boys, ages Trevor 18, Chad 10,and Shane 9 , Greg is sympathetic to living a busy life, and helps to make fitness goals realistic as well. At 41, Greg Foster , has embarked on a journey of entrepreneurial spirit, meshed with a passion to see people lead healthier ,happier lives. Truly, a business combination for success. Kim Iles, the manager of Choices4Wellness, is no stranger to the Natural Health Industry. She formerly founded and owned Alternative Choices from 1993 until its closing in 2004. During those 11years, Kim achieved many levels of business experience. She was on the board of directors for the CHFA (Canadian Health Food Association) as well as developing and franchising her Alternative choices concept. Kim's real passion however is with teaching, providing lectures, and spreading her knowledge of natural health through out Chatham-Kent and beyond. Kim is a mother of a 22 year old daughter , Nicole and a 17 year old son, Jordon . To Choices4Wellness, Kim also brings her knowledge of the water purification side of the business. Kim is a former owner and co-founder of Pure Choice Water Centers. The new store located inside of Choices4Wellness is appropriately named Choices4Water with a slogan "water you can believe in", offering state of the art purification better tasting and at better prices than the old business she left behind. Kim has always been a familiar voice on the radio, as well as in the newspaper, as she believes education and creating awareness is vital to getting people use and accept natural health products to create wellness and a lifestyle that enhances their lives.
