WATCH OUT FOR ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS

What now?! I suspect that most of us are tired of hearing about new dangers that we face.  However, now that the Taliban is apparently not as much of a threat, maybe we can learn about something that is actually more of a threat to our health than the Taliban.  What is this?  They are chemicals in our environment [food, couches, machine receipts and shampoos, etc.] that disrupt our endocrine systems and may be a significant factor in the increasing obesity in the industrialized world.  

Research studies [initially from Bruce Blumberg at UC Irvine and now his findings have been replicated a number of times] have identified 20 substances that are called [after Blumberg] obesogens. This problem is now recognized by the Presidential Task Force on Childhood Obesity and the National Institutes of Health.  Chemicals identified include materials in plastics, canned food, agricultural chemicals, foam cushions and jet fuel.  Mice exposed at birth to very small amounts of some of these chemicals became obese and passed on this to future generations.  Another study found that women with pesticide residue in their blood gave birth to babies who were more likely to be overweight by 14 months.  The most vulnerable periods seem to be in utero and in prepubertal children.  

One survey cited by the Scientific American, found that only 19% of physicians cautioned pregnant women about endocrine disrupting chemicals found in pesticides and less than 10% warned about BPA that is found in some plastics and receipts and phthalates that are found in cosmetics and shampoos. 

So why aren't these chemicals being regulated?  Well, apparently similar to the delayed regulation of cigarettes, the chemical industry is resisting it.  Congress has yet to pass the Safe Chemicals Act that would require more stringent testing of potentially toxic chemicals.  We all have to pay for obesity and that does not include all the suffering that occurs related to obesity.  So, pesiticide free food, no plastic containers for food and no cosmetics or shampoos with dangerous chemicals.  

It would seem a good time to let others know about this as well as telling our representatives and senators that we want these endocrine disrupting chemicals gone.