Plastics Update

Addendum to my plastics post from 6/30/09:

After some random research I found that plastic #6 isn't safe after all =(

"#6: Polystyrene is a concern because the chemical styrene can leach into food and beverages. According to the EPA, short-term styrene exposure at levels above the Maximum Contaminant Level (used to set drinking-water standards) can cause nervous-system effects such as loss of concentration, weakness, and nausea. Long-term exposure can cause liver and nerve damage and cancer." Found from the Common Ground website, confirmed from other research studies found on the web.


The good news is that #5pp is a safe choice as well. I have read that #5 can contain BPA, but not #5pp.


So, I'll be sticking to 1, 2, 4 & 5pp for now! But remember- never heat in plastic- only store food in it.

Are we becoming more like Barbie and Ken?

I've been known to be a little obsessive about staying healthy. There is something scary about preventable things happening to my body, like getting serious illnesses from ingesting things, or like getting Lyme disease from a deer tick. Scary weird things like that. Sometimes we just don't have the knowledge or exposure to know what could happen- and sometimes our culture isn't quite honest about products and what can happen to you if you use them.

When I read that certain plastics used for food/beverages are stored in our bodies and can have harmful effects on you and your offspring, I was alarmed. You mean, plastic- the stuff that we heat/freeze/store everything in is harmful? Even most of the food we buy is in plastic. WOW.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that is used to strengthen plastic containers and line metal bottles and cans. It has been used for the last 60 years and is in a lot of our common products. I first read about this in the Good Housekeeping mag, the article is titled “Is It Safe to Heat Food in Plastic?.” There was an article questioning the safety of plastic, and it caught my eye! This article said that there are two main chemicals that can make us and our offspring sick, BPA and phthalates (pronounced Thay-lates).

After reading the article I decided to see if I could find more than what a magazine was reporting, and boy did I find a lot! You see- after being a MAJOR debate nerd in HS I have had this need to research everything that intrigues me. Well, needless to say- this was very intriguing.

So, BPA is a pretty widely used. It has been used in pretty much most of the #7 plastics, (look on the bottom of a plastic container, it should have a number on it, If it has a #7 on it, it probably contains BPA). Also, some#3’s and #5’s contain BPA as well. BPA is in the lining of almost all canned foods, there is only one food company; Eden Foods Canned Beans that I have found to have BPA free canned goods. BPA is in other household items like CD’s some children’s toys etc. The main concern is for it to leach into our foods and stay in our bodies. The effects of BPA are constantly being argued, and pay attention to the source of your research if you look this stuff up. There are many companies that support certain products based on their financial investment. Based on pure scientific research, you will find that the main concerns are adverse effects on the brain, male and female reproductive systems, and diabetes. It may also be related to cancer or even obesity and heart disease. There isn’t an immediate reaction to this chemical, it accumulates over time in our bodies. The greatest sensitivity to bisphenol A occurs in-utero and infant development. ACK! This sucks!

Onto the next devil plastic chemical…

Phthalates, known as “plasticizers,” are a grouping of chemicals used to make plastics more flexible. They are found in toys, food packaging, hoses, raincoats, shower curtains, vinyl flooring, wall coverings, lubricants, adhesives, detergents, nail polish, hair spray and shampoo, as well as other products. Phthalates can be "endocrine disruptors" because they copy hormones in the body and have shown in lab tests to cause reproductive and neurological damage. So if someone says to you, “why are you trying to bite your elbow??” you know that you may have used too much plastic wrap. Sorry, I had to throw a joke in there, you started to have that scared depressed look!

What to Do??
I know we can’t turn our world upside down and go back in time to prevent our bodies from becoming plastic-y, and this stuff is pretty scary. But, you do have control and a little more knowledge now. You can make choices in your future to help curb the intake of these devil chemicals. And- feel good about it at the same time. If you have kids- or will, you can also feel good that you are armed with this knowledge.

Here are some tips for identifying products that have, or are likely to have, phthalates or BPA. These are the things that I have introduced into my daily living habits.

1. Choose foods in plastics with the recycling code 1, 2, 4 or 6. Recycling codes 3, 5 and 7 are more likely to contain BPA or phthalates. My mantra for plastic is “Even Steven, and #1 are good.”

2. Don’t eat anything canned, unless the can reads “BPA Free.”


3. Transport and heat your food in glass never plastic; never ever in styrofoam (don’t use the plastic covers of glass containers either). I save glass jars from bullion for yogurt, jam jars for milk and apples etc.


4. Buy refillable water bottles that aren’t plastic, or lined with BPA. Many companies are marketing their products to this concern now.


5. Read the ingredients. According to the organization Pollution in People, you can identify phthalates in some products by their chemical names, or abbreviations:
-DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) and DEP (diethyl phthalate) are often found in personal care products, including nail polishes, deodorants, perfumes and cologne, aftershave lotions, shampoos, hair gels and hand lotions. (BzBP, see below, is also in some personal care products.)
-DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) is used in PVC plastics, including some medical devices.
BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate) is used in some flooring, car products and personal care products.

-DMP (dimethyl phthalate) is used in insect repellent and some plastics (as well as rocket propellant).

6. Be wary of the term "fragrance," which is used to denote a combination of compounds, possibly including phthatates, which are a subject of recent concern because of studies showing they can mimic certain hormones.

The real question is, are we plastic now??

The answer, no. But, if your big toe slowly starts looking like Barbie’s, all hard and connected to the rest of your toes, maybe you should start to worry. Or, you could just buy the Pink Malibu Convertible and go with it.
This is purely for your information, not intended for you to become a worry wart. I’ll do that job for you. My philosophy about these things is to arm yourself with knowledge, do the best you can, and then forget about it. Go on enjoying life because you know you are taking care of yourself and your loved ones.

Some sources for you:http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/phthalates-47020418#ixzz0K1cybpS8&D
http://www.reallynatural.com/archives/food/eco_food_friday_eden_foods_can.php
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/phthalates-47020418
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=6141554
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-testing/reviews-tests/kitchen-cooking/plastic-safety-heat-food
http://www.ewg.org/chemindex/term/480

I'm Sad About Pop Cans

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that there is BPA in pop cans, but my less-conscious didn't let it register until now. It is just crazy how many of our highly used food items contain this chemical.

I also came across a website that gives a little hope. Join it if you want to support the end of BPA in cans.

http://www.safercans.org/

Cholestasis: The "New" Way of Eating- For Me At Least

Pregnancy can be a real B on the body, some women do so well. I am not that woman, but the babies- SO worth it!! I was diagnosed with a rare pregnancy related issue called cholestasis of pregnancy in my 37th week of pregnancy with Gwen in 2010 (and then induced that night). I probably had dangerous levels of bile in my blood around 35 weeks. Around the 25th or so week of my pregnancy with Gwen I started to have gallbladder attacks, which weren't diagnosed until 6 months after I had her. Needless to say that was removed  a few months later. I guess biliary issues are a part of my life. Now, sitting at 16 weeks pregnant I am fine- phew! But still apparently have a 60 to 90% chance of getting cholestasis again. I thought- those statistics suck! Let's see what we can do about it!

Here is a rundown of what I've heard/found so far:
Itchy mom's website: only really helpful in diagnosis, not in prevention (p.s. the diet tips suck, never eat a low fat diet in pregnancy you are just starving your fetus): http://www.icpcare.org/
My OB: "nothing can prevent ICP, eat what you want." Really??
My Acupuncturist: "Let's help your liver with blood flow, eat less dairy and no sugar"
My Nutritionist: A New Diet and Vitamin Routine! to help with inflammation, digestion and liver function. She said "you won't be getting it again." She also said that I need to follow this for life, to prevent further biliary/liver issues.

I have been following this New Routine!  for a whole week now. I do have less joint pain and other things we won't mention are better, but I need about 20 more weeks to really know if I'm not going to get this again. I will do anything I can to prevent this from happening. I consider myself an experiment.

One thing that I like is being able to do something. Nothing else has given me that power.

If you are here, and wondering what I was told I highly suggest you see a nutritionist, in fact if you are in the midwest, go to Weight and Wellness. That is what I did. The person I worked with has had experience with other pregnant cholestasis moms.

A mini rundown of what I'm doing.
-Really high quality prenatal vitamins (not avoiding fat soluble vitamins)
-Other digestion and pregnancy related supplements (this is where you need a nutritionist)
-Eating liver healthy fats (I had no idea certain fats were terrible for your liver- see a nutritionist!)
-Eating almost no sugar
-Meals that include a small amount of healthy fat, lots of veggies and a healthy meat protein
-Not eating much for carbs, apparently they just turn into sugar before they get to the liver
-Not eating tons of fruit (natural sugar...)
-All organic meats and dairy, the pesticides and crap they load into meat is hard for the liver to process

So basically sugar just makes your liver sad. So does alcohol, but that isn't a problem during pregnancy but afterwards uggghhhhh, I will hopefully be happy as an occasional drinker. Sugar will be my biggest problem. I really really really love sugar, borderline addicted. I have had these feelings of mild desperation and panic at some points just thinking that I won't be able to eat sugary foods regularly. I wonder how much is going to be "o.k." to eat, do I just do Bday parties? Or, do I eat none of it? I haven't figured that out yet. I think I need to conquer my semi-addiction first.

So- we'll see!

Back- for a While Maybe

I have always had a hard time committing to certain things, like tasks that require you to be consistent. Blogging is only interesting to me if the writer actually posts regularly and unlike my BFF A, I am no writer nor am I consistent in most things I do. I would like however to document and share some of the cool things I've come to learn in the last months since blogging here. Things like how to make cloth diapering a success for you, or don't ever eat canned food again (unless you HAVE to have your black olives). Maybe topics like, hey, if you have the chance of getting cholestasis of pregnancy again and want to avoid it, maybe do a diet like this... Just randomness.  So, here it goes again, let's give it another shot.

Obvious Trial End

Just like "Dharma and Greg" only came out for 1 season on DVD, I think I only had about 1 season of blogging in me.

Maybe someday I'll be back, when my enthusiasm gets the better of me and I have to share again- but for now I'll leave blogging to those who don't have commitment issues. :)

Take care!
maega

There is such thing as too much advice in marriage

I was bipping around my Knot.com newsletter, which surprisingly has some good article references, and I found an article about new marriages (up to 5 yrs) and the detriment TOO much advice can have. Mike and I went through A LOT of education and prep for marriage and we never read/heard this.

The premise is simple, too much of a well intentioned thing is bad. Here is an excerpt: "In recent studies of heterosexual couples in their first few years of marriage, researchers learned that too much support is harder on a marriage than not enough. When it comes to marital satisfaction, both partners are happier if husbands receive the right type of support, and if wives ask for support when they need it."

So gals- that means guys actually CAN'T read your mind, so you have to tell them what you need. Guys, just ask us what we need, it will make things a little more simple. I find it interesting that guys need support, but the right kind is key. Check out the whole article here. I know I FOR SURE have been a culprit of giving too much advice. Poor Mike married a Lund, and we come fully stocked with wisdom, whether it is ego motivated or not is sometimes hard to tell. ;)

I will be trying to give the right support to Mike here on out- he is in school and could probably use the right kind of support.