Green Leafy Vegetables and Soy. We all knew that green leafy vegetables and organic, non-genetically modified soy was good for us but researchers at Duke University have found that folate and genistein completely block BPA damage, even in the face of significant exposure. Click on Dr. Greene to read more.
Salt. Use iodized salt, especially while pregnant and nursing, and take iodine-containing prenatal vitamins. Iodine buffers against chemicals like perchlorate, which can disrupt your thyroid system and affect brain development during pregnancy and infancy.
Eat good fats. Omega-3 fatty acids can offset toxic effects of lead and mercury. They’re in fish, eggs, nuts, oils, and produce. Choose low-mercury fish like salmon, tilapia and pollock, rather than high-mercury tuna and swordfish, especially if you’re pregnant.
Avoid Perfluorochemicals. (The Environmental Working Group)
They’re found in carpets and on clothes, on fast-food wrappers, and on the inner lining of pet food bags. You might know them as Teflon, Scotchgard, Stainmaster and Gore-Tex. They pollute water, are persistent in the environment, and remain in the human body for years. Companies that manufacture PFCs have agreed to phase out one variety, called PFOA, by 2015. Unfortunately, there’s no evidence that the chemcials being used to replace it are any safer.
PFCs are associated with smaller birth weight and size in newborn babies, elevated cholesterol, abnormal thyroid hormone levels, liver inflammation, and weaker immune defense against disease — all good reasons to reduce your exposure.
To Avoid PFCs:
- Forgo the optional stain retreatment on new carpets and furniture. Find products that haven’t been pre-treated, and if the couch you own is treated, get a cover for it.
- Choose clothing that doesn’t carry Teflon or Scotchgard tags. This includes fabric labeled stain- or water- repellent. When possible, opt for untreated cotton and wool.
- Avoid non-stick pans and kitchen utensils. Opt for stainless steel or cast iron instead.
- Cut back on greasy packaged and fast foods. These foods often come in treated wrappers.
- Use real plates instead of paper.
- Pop popcorn the old-fashioned way on the stovetop. Microwaveable popcorn bags are often coated with PFCs on the inside.
- Choose personal care products without “PTFE” or “perfluoro” in the ingredients. Use EWG’s Skin Deep at cosmeticdatabse.com to find safer choices.
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