The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Preventing breast cancer: 20 risk factors

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The Breast Cancer Fund is an organization that works to identify – and advocate for elimination of – the environmental and other preventable causes of breast cancer. It says:

Research has taught us that many widely understood risk factors play a role, including our genetic makeup and whether or not we've had kids or breast-fed.

But these risk factors don't explain it all. A substantial body of scientific evidence indicates that exposures to common chemicals and radiation, alone and in combination, may contribute to the unacceptably high incidence of breast cancer.

Here are risk factors the Breast Cancer Fund offers in its article “How to Prevent Breast Cancer: 20 Risk Factors”:

1. Cook with stainless steel. Aluminum may be a risk factor for breast cancer. To be cautious, avoid aluminum pots and pans and aluminum-based deodorants.

2. Use natural sunscreens. Many sunscreens contain chemicals that may be breast cancer risk factors.

3. Check your old foam furniture. Old foam mattresses and furniture can contain PBDEs, flame retardants that may be a breast cancer risk factor.

4. Minimize car exhaust. PAHs in vehicle exhaust are a breast cancer risk factor, particularly at certain vulnerable moments in life. Minimize your exposure.

5. Eat soy, but not too much. Natural plant-based estrogens in soy may provide healthy benefits in low doses, but may be a risk factor for breast cancer in higher doses.

6. Avoid CT scans and x-rays. Some common medical procedures may come with a high dose of radiation, a known breast cancer risk factor. There are alternatives.

7. Check older toys. Exposure to phthalates in plastics, present in many older – and not so old – toys and children's products, could be a breast cancer risk factor.

8. Avoid synthetic hormone replacement therapy. If you use HRT, use estrogen-only formulations to avoid a well-documented breast cancer risk factor.

9. Recycle batteries. Some batteries and other consumer products contain cadmium, which has been linked to early-onset puberty, a risk factor for breast cancer.

10. Eat clean fish. Some fish can be contaminated with PCBs and dioxins, both breast cancer risk factors. Learn how to choose safe, nontoxic fish.

11. Be wary of dry cleaning chemicals. PERC, a chemical used by many dry cleaners, and in some carpet cleaners and spot removers, may be a breast cancer risk factor.

12. Use natural cosmetics. Some beauty products contain toxic and endocrine disrupting chemicals that may be breast cancer risk factors.

13. Avoid bleach and chlorine. Bleached products, including some tampons and household disinfectant bleaches, may be harmful.

14. Use natural pesticides. Some chemical pesticides contain endocrine disrupting chemicals that can harm human health, as well as kill insects and rodents.

15. Avoid weed killers. Herbicides do more than kill weeds. Some may mimic hormones, a breast cancer risk factor.

16. Use nontoxic cleaning supplies. Warning labels on cleaning products are there for a reason: Some contain breast cancer risk factors. Use alternative green cleansers or do-it-yourself cleansers instead.

17. Avoid canned food. The lining in canned food can leach chemicals. Choosing farmers' market-fresh vegetables is a better choice.

18. Choose truly “microwave safe” containers. Even so-called "microwave safe" plastic can leach chemicals into your food. Choose glass or ceramic bowls instead.

19. Drink safe water. Bottled water may contain Bisphenol A or other contaminants, while filtered public tap water is closely monitored for safety.

20. Choose BPA-free baby and water bottles. Bisphenol A has been linked to a variety of health problems, and may be a risk factor for breast cancer. Start early – for your daughter’s sake.

See the article for details on each risk factor.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Do chemicals and radiation cause breast cancer?

 

Growing up on apple farms after World War II where pesticides were sprayed liberally on everything, I began to wonder at an early age about the dangers of the wide use of chemicals.

As a consumer journalist, I’ve interviewed Devra Lee Davis, Ph.D.,M.P.H., director of the Center for Environmental Oncology and professor at the University of Pittsburgh, several times about the link between chemicals and breast cancer.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

When I was doing research for yesterday’s post on the Obama administration’s plans to revamp the nation’s chemical management program, I found information on the Breast Cancer Fund. It works to identify – and advocate for elimination of – the environmental and other preventable causes of breast cancer.

The group’s latest report on breast cancer and chemicals, the 2008 edition of the "State of Evidence: The Connection Between Breast Cancer and the Environment," is must reading for every woman.

The report states that a woman’s lifetime risk of getting breast cancer in the United States has increased rapidly since the 1900s. More specifically:

Between 1973 and 1998, breast cancer incidence rates in the United States increased by more than 40 percent. Today, a woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is one in eight.

Information is offered in the report on the latest research on the breast cancer-chemicals link:

A recent survey conducted at the Massachusetts-based Silent Spring Institute indicated that 216 chemicals and radiation sources have been recognized by national and international regulatory agencies as being implicated in breast cancer causation.

Many other chemicals, especially those classified as endocrine-disrupting compounds or EDCs, are not listed by the regulatory agencies, the researchers said; yet the scientific evidence linking EDCs to breast cancer risk is substantial and growing.

An important body of scientific evidence demonstrates that exposure to common chemicals and radiation may contribute to the staggering incidence of breast cancer. In our daily lives, we are rarely exposed to these substances in isolation; the pervasiveness of many of these substances means we likely have multiple, low-level exposures over the course of weeks, months, even years.

The 2008 "State of Evidence" describes how different kinds of exposures may increase cancer risk:

There are several examples in recent scientific literature demonstrating that mixtures of environmental chemicals, chemicals and radiation, or complex combinations of chemicals and particular genetic or hormonal profiles may alter biological processes and possibly lead to increases in breast cancer risk.

These new data show that we need to begin to think of breast cancer causation as a complex web of often interconnected factors, each exerting direct and interactive effects on cellular processes in mammary tissue.

The report calls for action:

Together, we must move forward to identify and eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer. The Moving Forward section [of the report] provides a call to action for advocates and policy makers. It offers a menu of different ways, from crafting state and federal policy to research initiatives, that supporters can be active in breast cancer prevention.

The evidence is clear and growing. There are actions we can take today to reduce the public’s exposures to toxic chemicals and radiation.

Be sure to take a look at this important report.

Tomorrow’s post will be on 20 ways women can prevent breast cancer.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Federal agency’s effort to revamp the nation’s chemical management program laudable, but doesn’t go far enough

 

With cancer rates skyrocketing and continual questions about how chemicals affect the health of consumers, the Obama Administration has announced its goals for reforming of this country’s chemical management law, the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act or TSCA.

In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency also made known its plans for a major effort to strengthen the agency’s current chemical management program and increase the pace of the agency’s efforts to address chemicals that pose a risk to the public.

  
 
U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said in a recent talk at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco:

As more and more chemicals are found in our bodies and the environment, the public is understandably anxious and confused. Many are turning to government for assurance that chemicals have been assessed using the best available science, and that unacceptable risks haven’t been ignored.

Our oversight of the 21st century chemical industry is based on the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act....over the years, not only has TSCA fallen behind the industry it’s supposed to regulate – it’s been proven an inadequate tool for providing the protection against chemical risks that the public rightfully expects.

Today I’m announcing clear administration principles to guide Congress in writing a new chemical risk management law that will fix the weaknesses in TSCA.

Legislation strengthening TSCA is expected to be introduced shortly. The Obama administration’s goals for the revision are:

• Chemicals should be reviewed against risk-based safety standards based on sound science and protective of human health and the environment.

• Manufacturers should provide EPA with the necessary information to conclude that new and existing chemicals are safe and don’t endanger public health or the environment.

• EPA should have clear authority to take risk management actions when chemicals don’t meet the safety standard, with flexibility to take into account sensitive subpopulations, costs, social benefits, equity, and other relevant considerations.

• Manufacturers and EPA should assess and act on priority chemicals, both existing and new, in a timely manner.

• Green chemistry should be encouraged and provisions assuring transparency and public access to Information should be strengthened.

• EPA should be given a sustained source of funding for implementation.

EPA will strengthen the performance of its current chemical management program while Congress considers new legislation.

However, representatives of the Environmental Working Group, Earthjustice, and the Breast Cancer Action Fund question how the new regulatory program might work, reports the article "EPA Announced Plan to Review Six Controversial Chemicals" on the Web site Scientific American.

Many experts say the United States has fallen far behind in regulating toxic substances, according to the article. In 2007, the European Union began implementing the world's most restrictive chemicals law. It requires manufacturers to provide basic data on the properties of thousands of chemical substances. The European Chemicals Agency then will review the chemicals, and require substitution of the most dangerous ones.

The EPA will begin its chemical reforms by analyzing and regulating six high-profile chemicals that have raised health concerns: bisphenol A, or BPA, found in hard, clear polycarbonate bottles; phthalates, used in vinyl and cosmetics; brominated flame retardants, added to electronics and other goods; perfluorinated compounds, used in manufacturing nonstick coatings and food packaging; some parafins used in lubricants, and benzidine dyes and pigments.

Many scientists say these chemicals can mimic hormones and obstruct development of fetuses and children, as well as possibly cause reproductive problems, cancer, or other health effects, reports the article.

To strengthen EPA’s chemical management program, chemical action plans will be developed, which will outline the agency’s risk management efforts on the chemicals of greatest concern.

EPA plans to post an initial set of four action plans in December and additional action plans every four month after that.

Efforts also will be accelerated to gather the critical information from industry that the agency needs to make chemical risk determinations. EPA is also reviewing ways to increase consumers’ access to information about chemicals.

Information on EPA’s chemical management program can be found at: www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/index.html.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Top 10 states with the worst drinking water

Concerned about a series in The New York Times on "Toxic Waters," AOL Health decided to take a closer look at tap water.

The series reported on a half a million violations of water pollution laws by manufacturers and other workplaces over the last five years, including dumping toxins thought to cause cancer.

AOL Health developed this list of states with the most toxic tap water:

1. California

2. Wisconsin

3. North Carolina

4. Florida

5. Texas

6. New York

7. Nevada

8. Pennsylvania

9. Ohio

10. New Mexico

See "States With the Most Toxic Tap Water" for information on why each state made the list.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Should you let your lawn die during the summer to save water and money?

In the Pacific Northwest, more people aren’t watering their lawns in the hot weather months due to concerns about water conservation and costs.

The problem is when you don’t water your lawn and it turns yellow, the weeds take over. Then, you might be tempted to use pesticides to kill them. Pesticides are harmful to your health and the health of your children, grandchildren, and pets.

A friend of mine doesn’t water his lawn during the summer months, and his lawn isn’t healthy. It’s dry with lots of tall dandelions.

The key things that need to be done to have a healthy organic lawn are:

• Mow high. Tall grass encourages a thicker lawn that will prevent weed seeds from getting to the soil. Also, with thicker higher grass, the blades crowd out weeds by taking their sunlight.

• Leave the grass clippings on the lawn. It provides fertilizer.

• Give the lawn about an inch of water per week. Water deeply and infrequently. The morning is the best time to water. Avoid lawn disease by not watering after 3 p.m.

• Remove weeds by hand rather than using pesticides. Studies show that children and pets have higher rates of cancer when pesticides are used on lawns.

If you’re not convinced, here are some guidelines from PureLawn-Organic Lawncare Experts on letting your lawn go semi-dormant:

The lawn needs about an inch of water per week. During the spring and fall rain usually provides this. During the summer or dry periods, you can either let the lawn naturally go semi-dormant or provide the inch of water with your sprinkler system.

Lawns are resilient, but still need an inch of water per month or they will die. During droughts, like in 2007, make sure the lawn is getting at least an inch of water per month so it will bounce back in the fall.

I hope this helps with the great yellow lawn debate.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Hot dogs need warning labels

When I began writing about consumer issues in the mid-1970s, one of the first articles I wrote was on studies showing sodium nitrite – an additive that preserves the color and general appearance of cured meats in hot dogs, lunch meats, bacon, and sausages – causes cancer.

Sodium nitrate leads to the formation of N-nitroso compounds, which are known carcinogens.

A researcher in one of the studies said he’d stopped eating bacon and other cured meats because of his findings.

That was more than 30 years ago.

I think hot dogs and other cured meats need warning labels.

A consumer group is taking action on the cured meats issue. The Cancer Project in Essex County, N.J, filed a lawsuit this week.

It alleges in a class-action suit that hot dogs pose serious health risks and need to carry warning labels, reports ConsumerAffairs.com in the article “Lawsuit Seeks Warning Labels for Hot Dogs.”

Among the defendants are Nathan's Famous, Kraft Foods, Sara Lee, ConAgra, and Marathon.

The plaintiffs propose a warning label such as: “Warning: Consuming hot dogs and other processed meats increases the risk of cancer.”

In a study, the National Cancer Institute found that individuals who eat large amounts of red and processed meats are more likely to die, especially from cancer or heart disease, the article reports.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Tell makers of household cleaners you want to know what’s in the cleaners you use

Household cleaner manufacturing giants want to keep secret the chemical ingredients in their products and the health risks they pose.

But you can take action to let these corporations know you want the truth.

Tell them consumers need a full list of ingredients and disclosure of their impacts to health. Armed with this information, consumers can make safe choices about what products to bring into their homes.

Tell Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Church and Dwight, and Reckitt-Benckiser to follow the law requiring them to disclose the chemical ingredients in their products and the health problems they cause.

Earthjustice, a public interest law firm that works to protect the environment, offers an Action Alert you can use to send an e-mail to these corporations to let them know you want action on cleaning ingredient labeling.

Take action on this important issue today.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Pesticides are harmful to you, your children, grandchildren, pets, and the environment

Since I was a child, I’ve been concerned about pesticide exposure.

Growing up in Central Washington, I was sprayed with pesticide drift from airplanes when I was walking down the road. I also thinned apples as a teen in trees that were dripping with pesticides.

My dad, Minor H. Slingsby, died in 1990 at age 80 from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a lymphatic system cancer. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is linked to pesticide exposure. My dad was an apple farmer.

I learned about this link from a story on National Public Radio a few months after my dad had been diagnosed. A story reported increasing numbers of farm worker children, who were in the fields with their parents, were developing the disease.

If you’re currently using pesticides on your yard, you need to be aware of the possible harmful effects. In this article, the term pesticide also refers to herbicides and fungicides.

Pesticides are harmful to humans

In addition to causing short-term health effects, long-term effects of pesticides that are known are cancers, birth defects, reproductive harm, neurological and developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, and disruption of the endocrine system, according to the article “Pesticides and Human Health” on Californians for Pesticide Reform.com.

Some people are more susceptible than others to pesticide impacts. For example, farm workers and pesticide applicators are more vulnerable because they receive greater exposures. Infants and young children are known to be more susceptible than adults to the toxic effects of pesticides.

For example, a recent study found that children who live in homes where their parents use pesticides are twice as likely to develop brain cancer versus those that live in residences in which no pesticides are used, reports Environmental Health News in the article “Pesticides Blamed for Some Childhood Brain Cancers.”

It’s well established that many pesticides cause cancer in animals, the article states.
 
People think that because the brightly colored boxes of pesticides are allowed to be sold in stores that they’re safe. Only a minimum amount of tests have been conducted on pesticides since they came into use after World War II.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the first time will require pesticide manufacturers to test 67 chemicals contained in their products to determine whether they disrupt the endocrine system, which regulates animals' and humans' growth, metabolism, and reproduction, The Washington Post reports in the article “EPA Will Mandate Tests on Pesticide Chemicals.”

Pesticides are harmful to lawns and gardens

Treating plants or controlling garden pests with chemicals often makes the situation worse because the chemicals damage the soil's natural defense system by killing off good organisms and bacteria along with the bad, reports the King County article “Chemical Use: Get Your Yard Off Drugs!”

Healthy soil is full of beneficial bacteria, fungi, and other organisms that work together to keep disease and pests under control and protect the health of plants.

Building healthy soil by using compost, growing plants that resist plant diseases in your area, and planting a variety of plants, especially plants native to your area, will help you have healthy gardens and lawns.

Pesticides are harmful to the environment

Pesticides drain into streams and injure and kill fish and wildlife. Through these environmental exposures, pesticides accumulate in the food chain.

Pesticides also damage forests, farmlands, deserts, and beaches.

These are three good reasons to stop using pesticides. They’re harmful to (1) your health and the health of those in your household, (2) your lawns and gardens, and (3) the environment.

To find out about the health effects of the pesticides you’ve used, see the Pesticide Action Network’s Pesticide Info Database.

Here are other resources to help get your yard off pesticides:

“Using Native Plants in Your Gardens Saves Time, Water, Money” – The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

“A New Way to Think about Lawns” – The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

“Green Gardening, Lawn Care Promotes Good Health” – The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

“Lawn Care: For Truly Green Turf” – Sierra Club.com

“What Does Pesticide Poisoning Feel Like” – Vegan Reader

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Top 10 Earth Day top 10 lists

For Earth Day, I thought I’d review Earth Day top 10 lists and see which ones I thought were tops.

1. “Top 10 Earth Day Campaigns You Can’t Miss” – Takepart.com.

I liked this list best because it describes actions and activities from a wide variety of organizations – from Greenpeace to National Geographic to the U.S. Environmental Agency.

2. “Top 10 Cities to Celebrate Earth Day” – NBC.com.

This list is fun. Seattle is described as “Where the folks are green and the plastic bags are taxed.” Among the other cities included are Austin, Texas; Boston; Ashville, N.C.; Portland, Ore.; and San Francisco.

3. “Top 10 Earth Day Songs” – Y! Music.

Robert the Radish picked these songs, but many of those leaving comment thought “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson should have been included.

4. “Top 10 Things You Can Do to Reduce Global Warming” – Earth Day Network.

This is a standard to do list for Earth Day. I selected it because it includes “Plant a tree.”

5. “Top 10 KBB Green Stories of 2009 – Early Edition” – Kelley Blue Book.

It was encouraging to see this list of green stories about cars.

6. “World’s Top 10 Eco-hostels” – Travelbite.co.uk.

This list made me dream – Ireland, Hawaii, Singapore, England, Iceland. I’d love to spend Earth Day at any of these hostels.

7. “Earth Day 2009: Top 10 TV Shows on Planet Green” – Examiner.com.

These TV shows looked interesting and may be worth a look after Turnoff Week is over.

8. “Happy Earth Day – 10 Environmental Films You Can Watch Online for Free” – Urlesque.com.

The films highlight the impact people have on the environment, and the responsibilities they share for the planet's future.

9. “Top 10 Greenest Celebs” – Metromix/Detroit.

Here’s what 10 stars are doing for the Green Movement.

10. “10 Environmental Disasters to Remember on Earth Day” – AlterNet.com.

I put this one last because it’s discouraging to think about events such as species extinction, mountaintop removal, Love Canal, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Hurricane Katrina, and the Great Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

But that’s what Earth Day is about – to recognize all the environmental destruction that has occurred and to develop policies and projects to develop a greener world.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide Recall of the Week: Girls’ shoes from Nordstrom

About 31,000 girls’ shoes imported by Nordstrom, of Seattle, Wash., are being recalled because surface paint on the outer sole of the shoes contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Six styles are involved in the recall:

“Clarice-Fab” flats – bone colored with a bow.

“Eva-Fab” – bone colored T-strap sandals.

“Fern-Fab” – ankle strap sandals sold in bone, pink, white, blue polka-dot, or pink polka-dot.

 

“Lilly-Fab” – fuchsia gingham ballerina flats with a bow.

“Rita-Fab” – ankle strap dress shoes sold in ivory linen, pink linen, white linen, cafe satin, silver satin, or white satin.

 

“Vivi-Fab” – open-toe dress shoes in bone, white, green polka-dot, lavender polka-dot, or yellow polka-dot.

Manufactured in China, the shoes were sold in girls’ sizes 10 through big-kids 7. All shoes have an embossed “NORDSTROM” printed on the insole. Only the colors identified above are subject to the recall.
 
Nordstrom stores nationwide sold the shoes from September 2006 through February 2009 for about $35 to $45.

Consumers should take the recalled shoes away from children immediately and return them to any Nordstrom store for a full refund or exchange, the commission advises.

For additional information, call Nordstrom at 800-804-0806 between 7 a.m. and 1 a.m. ET, e-mail Nordstrom at contact@nordstrom.com, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.nordstrom.com.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist