Renew You Challenge

Let’s start this week off right!

 

Here is your newest weekly challenge (I mean opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week. You could even add it to your calendar. Join us! 

The chemical bisphenol A (BPA) is an estrogen-like compound found in plastic products, epoxy lining of canned foods, and recently also found on thermal receipts and paper money. It doesn’t stop there—a new study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology has found that BPA is present in an array of other paper products, including toilet paper, paper towels, newspapers, and business cards.

The BPA levels found were much lower than those found in thermal paper receipts, so the BPA is thought to be due to the presence of recycled thermal paper. Ninety-four percent of the thermal receipts tested were found to contain BPA. Receipts from Japan, however, do not contain BPA due to the 2001 BPA phase-out in that country. The study even found BPA in receipts claiming to be BPA-free. Now that’s concerning.

I have blogged on the dangers of BPA before, a few times. This ubiquitous chemical is found in hundreds of products, and is also found in most people. It looks like thermal paper and plastic products are the biggest sources, and now these sources are spreading the contamination further.

This week, take stock of your plastic food containers. Where you can, switch to glass containers. At the least, try to switch to BPA-free plastic (though the reliability of those claims is questioned). Opt for fresh foods over canned. This is one toxin that needs to be minimized.