| You may have noticed all the pink in the air this | | | | polycarbonate. If you are unsure, call the |
| month. Organizations are cashing in on a wide variety | | | | manufacturer. Bisphenol A is also used to line the |
| of products based on their intent to contribute a | | | | inside of paper containers that hold liquids and cans |
| portion of the proceeds, however small, to a breast | | | | that contain food or beverages. Whenever possible, |
| cancer charity. In case you didn't know why you | | | | rinse canned foods before consuming them and avoid |
| were seeing all the pink products, it is because | | | | buying acidic food, like tomato sauce, in a can. |
| October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. | | | | 2. Avoid plasticizers (called pthalates with a silent p), |
| With an alarming one in eight American women now | | | | which are also hormone disruptors. These plasticizers |
| diagnosed with breast cancer, it is certainly a cause | | | | are everywhere. They are in cosmetics, baby |
| that demands attention. Yet, despite the claims to | | | | shampoo, baby chew toys, perfume, cleaning |
| raise awareness, surprisingly little is being said about | | | | products, plastic containers, pest and lawn care |
| how to AVOID this calamity. | | | | products, etc. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) contains these |
| Some organizations are spreading the word about | | | | harmful plasticizers and is a common route of |
| diet, exercise, and other preventive measures, but | | | | exposure for many women because PVC is the |
| there are other factors that, if addressed, would | | | | component of many plastic wraps used for food. |
| dramatically improve the odds that a woman can live | | | | Look for the #3 inside the recycling triangle, which |
| her life breast cancer free. | | | | indicates it is PVC. If you are unsure, call the |
| Estrogen is one of the most well known causes of | | | | manufacturer. Go to to find out if your personal care |
| breast cancer. This is why anti-estrogen medications | | | | products may increase your odds of breast cancer. |
| are a mainstay of breast cancer treatment (in | | | | Check out to find safer cleaning products. If you |
| women who have estrogen responsive breast | | | | purchase fatty foods such as cheese that is |
| cancer). This is also the reason that having children, | | | | wrapped in commercial plastic wrap, remove it, slice |
| which causes a reduction in estrogen levels, | | | | off the outer layer, and rewrap it in unbleached |
| decreases a woman's breast cancer risk. | | | | parchment paper and place it inside a Ziploc baggie or |
| Unfortunately, our homes are now overloaded with | | | | a glass storage container. |
| products that contain chemicals that behave like | | | | 3. Get a daily dose of brassica vegetables, which |
| estrogen; thereby, placing all women at an alarmingly | | | | include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage. |
| high risk of developing cancer, with or without having | | | | Brassica vegetables bind to estrogens in your body |
| had children. This is why the following 3 steps are | | | | and convert them to a form that is easily eliminated |
| vital for all women to protect themselves from | | | | so they have less time to cause cancer. Broccoli |
| cancer. Please tell all the women you care about to | | | | sprouts are an excellent form of brassica and you |
| follow these steps; it could save their life: | | | | can grow them right on your windowsill without |
| 1. Avoid bisphenol A, which is a hormone disruptor | | | | having a green thumb. Go to for more information. |
| that is found in many common household products. It | | | | By avoiding #3 and #7 plastic products, choosing |
| leaches out of polycarbonate plastic containers into | | | | safer cleaning, personal care, lawn, and pest control |
| the food within. Polycarbonate plastic is used to | | | | products, your risk of breast cancer can be |
| make 5 gallon jugs of water, reusable water bottles | | | | dramatically reduced. Because it is impossible, in this |
| (not the disposable ones), and many baby bottles. | | | | day and age, to completely eliminate your exposure |
| Turn over your plastic products and look for the #7 | | | | to estrogen-like chemicals, remember to eat your |
| inside the recycling triangle, which indicates it is | | | | daily dose of brassica vegetables. |