Endometriosis Blog: BPA Controversy Continues As FDA Disputes Scientific Findings (UPDATED)

There has been controversy for some time about the safety of bisphenol A (BPA). I have written about BPA before. If you search my blog with the search box in the top left corner of the blog on the word "toxins", you'll get this:

Search results for 'toxins' on Jeanne's Endo Blog posts

See this post which includes links to numerous posts concerning toxins that affect our health:

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2008 --- Endo Blog: New Environmental Article – ‘Body Toxic’ and ‘Poisoned Profits’ – Evidence That Endometriosis/Other Conditions Are Linked To Toxins

See story about BPA below:

See the medpage TODAY story: FDA Advisers Denounce Agency's Decision on BPA Safety

Also, see video from NBC news broadcast last night (below). I should warn you that obnoxious ads may appear prior to the Nightly News clip. So if you are reading this at work, be aware of the Macy's undergarment ad that I just saw before the NBC news story on BPA. You may not want your computer blaring this ad at work. NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams ran a story last night on the topic of bisphenol A. Just scroll down to the topic and view the video clip of the NBC story that aired last night: FDA Under Fire For Lax Plastic Review

Here is an article from WebMD on BPA:

WebMD article: "Panel Criticizes FDA Bisphenol A Report"

Here is another new BPA article:

JS Online: Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinal

For more info on BPA, see this site:

Environmental Working Group

See the new related article from the website "Our Stolen Future" that covers endocrine disruptors:

Our Stolen Future's new article on endocrine disruption



Finally, I'd just like to say that I have learned over several years now that endocrine disruptors are an alarming issue for women with endometriosis. I believe the FDA's disregard for scientific evidence is disturbing. The fact that Canada has banned BPA from being used in the production of baby bottles should provide a clue that the FDA needs to take a closer look at the evidence.

If you are drinking out of a plastic bottle that has the number 7 in the middle of the recycle symbol on the bottom of the bottle, you are drinking water from a bottle with BPA. This is not good for anyone but it is especially troubling for endometriosis patients.

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UPDATE:

I just saw on my FEEDjit traffic monitor that someone had found this blog by searching on Google "bpa fda". When I clicked on their search terms, it took me to the following link:

Earthhope

I thought I'd pass it along as readers may be interested in additional details about the BPA issues. Unless consumers stop buying these dangerous products and/or write to their representatives, the companies that use BPA in their products will almost certainly continue to do so.
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This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.

VIDEO: Dangers Of Plastic Bags, Reducing Plastic Bags Will DECREASE Foreign Oil Dependency!!

The previous post that mentioned the dangers of plastic bags has received a good-sized reaction. So I decided to post some more info on it. After all, this issue affects our health, the health of the planet, The United States' dependance on foreign oil, the safety/survival of wildlife, etc.

So here is a video with more information...

Per the video above, China will save 37 million barrels of oil each year due to their ban of free plastic bags. -- Source: CNN.com/asia January 9, 2008

That's a lot of oil!!

The slideshow above was created by The Pocono Record.

For more information, see PoconoGreen: Your place for the latest environmental news from the Pocono Record.

Here's their multimedia section (see below) which discusses the dangers of plastic bags if you'd like to learn more. It contains a petition regarding plastic bags. As you saw in the video clip above, numerous other countries outside the US have taken measures to outlaw or tax plastic bags... PoconoGreen Multimedia.

San Francisco, CA was the first US state to attempt banning plastic bags.

See related articles about that here:

S.F. FIRST CITY TO BAN PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS: Supermarkets and chain pharmacies will have to use recyclable or compostable sacks

Unfair Park: The Dallas Observer Blog - Article title: San Francisco Banned Plastic Bags. But Dallas? Not Going to Happen.

The Dallas article above quoted the American Chemistry Council, which was apparently quoted in April 2008, as stating that insisting a ban on plastic bags and food containers would:

"have negative consequences on the local environment, the economy and the school system"

Really!? I'm not following their logic but that is apparently their argument against banning plastic bags. I do know that my quick scan of their site just now looked like one big ad for how wonderful they are and how they are helping everyone from the infant pictured in an incubator to a small child smiling from her bicycle. I'm not saying that plastics don't ever serve any useful purpose. I just thought the pictures prominently displayed on their site were interesting choices. I'll leave it at that.

Anyway, moving on to others working to tackle the plastic bag problem...

The Whole Foods chain announced in January 2008 that it would stop offering plastic bags to its customers:

Whole Foods Chain to Stop Use of Plastic Bags.

As Jessica of Live On Purpose, a reader of this blog, remarked in a comment to a post the other day, some areas in Colorado reward shoppers with 5 cents off their grocery bill for returning their plastic bags to stores.

As Ayaka Nangumo from Facebook noted:

"In many stores in Japan, if you bring your own bag, you receive a point. You collect the points, and you can use the points to exchange to something or get some discount. I always carry what we call "eco-bag." These bags look much nicer than plastic bags, and they are durable, so I don't have to worry that the bag may get torn while I'm walking back home".

Susie from The Canary Report just clued me in to a very interesting site written by Beth Terry called Fake Plastic Fish. I can't wait to take a closer look at it as it seems jam-packed with information!!

Finally, Beth's site mentioned PVC and reminded me of a cool movie I saw awhile back called Blue Vinyl.

For those unfamiliar with PVC, it has been linked to endometriosis. PVC is short for polyvinyl chloride (PVC)... (i.e. "vinyl").

When reading the wikipedia entry above on PVC, you may want to pay special attention to the mention of the toxins dioxins and phthalates. These are connected to a great many illnesses, including endometriosis!

For information about the relation between endometriosis and toxins like dioxin and PVC, see the EA website section: Endometriosis Association's section titled "Toxic Link to Endo"

Related are some links (see blog archives for more):

Thursday, December 11, 2008 The Canary Report Features This Blog, Why Plastic Bags Are Bad News, And What Houghton Mifflin Is Teaching Students About Global Warming... (UPDATED)

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: How You Can Help Patients With This Often Debilitating Condition!! (UPDATED With USA Today article)!

This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.

Endo Blog: New Environmental Article -- 'Body Toxic' and 'Poisoned Profits' -- Evidence That Endometriosis/Other Conditions Are Linked To Toxins

Regular readers may have noticed my intense interest in environmental factors for endometriosis and other chronic illnesses. If you scroll down my right sidebar (that's if it's working now... it's "on the fritz" again tonight), you'll see much information about the environment, "going green", etc.

I have deliberately included links to Environmental Health News, Green Living Tips, "we", Neutral Existence, etc.

Since environmental factors are so important for endometriosis and other chronic illnesses, I believe it's imperative to become informed about the links between environment and illness.

See this link: Endometriosis Association: "Toxic link to endo"

I'm no scientist but I have had endometriosis for 26 years now and I've done lots of reading on the environmental links between toxins, pesticides, chemicals, etc. on endometriosis patients, infertility patients, multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome patients, etc.

Anyway, here is what got me stirred up about environmental factors and illness today... Google occasionally sends me email alerts related to endometriosis. This October 10, 2008 article link got my attention: 'Body Toxic' and 'Poisoned Profits'.

If only this article were the first time I've read such alarming information. Unfortunately, it's far from it!

Please see here for full article: 'Body Toxic' and 'Poisoned Profits'. Here is a quick snippet from that article:

Then I'll provide some links afterwards that you may find helpful or interesting plus a list of some previous posts I've written about environmental issues.

In "Body Toxic," Baker begins with a visit to Commonweal, a Marin County environmental health institute, to explore some "biomonitoring" studies, which ascertain the numbers and types of foreign chemicals in humans. She then explores the implications of humans harboring so many substances, including increased risk of "cancers of the breast, testicles, and brain; lowered sperm count; early puberty; endometriosis and other defects of the female reproductive system; diabetes; obesity; attention deficit disorder; asthma; and autism."

Here are some links you may find helpful and some previous posts on environmental issues and their impact on endometriosis and many other chronic illnesses:

Our Stolen Future: A Book by Theo Colburn, Dianne Dumanoski, & John Peterson Myers

Our Stolen Future (Books On Endocrine Disruption)

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson - wikipedia entry

Women's Voices For The Earth

Health Care Without Harm

Environmental Working Group’s Report on Pesticide in Soap, Toothpaste and Breast Milk

The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics

Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database

Related previous articles:

Monday, August 25, 2008 Endometriosis Blog: What Is Epigenetics?? Can "Environment Become Heredity"??

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 Endometriosis Blog: Are There Environmental Factors That We Can Control??

Friday, August 29, 2008 Endometriosis Blog: Environment And Endometriosis... What Can We Do To Minimize Symptoms And/Or Possibly Prevent Endometriosis In Our Loved Ones??

Monday, October 6, 2008 Endometriosis Blog: Fibromyalgia Awareness And Resources For Endometriosis Patients Affected By This Commonly Co-Existing Condition

This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.

MCS Awareness!

I just discovered that May is awareness month for yet another illness I care deeply about: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

For a fantastic source of info on MCS, I always refer readers to Susie Collins' blog, The Canary Report.

For a post specifically about awareness month for MCS, see: MCS Awareness Month, bad air, and chemical exposures.

MCS is a big part of my life. Walking down the soap/detergent aisles is out of the question. Being anywhere near cigarette smoke is not possible. Reacting to people's perfumes and cologne is common. Heaven forbid I need to use a public rest room these days since it's almost a guaranteed exposure to "air fresheners". (They typically contain toxins that cause cancer, contain neurotoxins, and contain endocrine disruptors... so they are not healthy for anyone).

I have a long history of fainting due to exposures that trigger my MCS to kick into overdrive.

I have blogged previously about MCS (just use my search engine to find past MCS posts). Susie's blog mentioned above, though, is my go-to source for MCS information.

Susie is a wealth of information on MCS! I highly recommend checking out her blog to learn more about this serious illness that's affecting more and more people.

MCS awareness is much-needed. Please help me in supporting the MCS awareness activities by following Susie on twitter:

Her twitter address is: @TheCanaryReport
The #MCS hashtags pertain to Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Please help us spread the word about MCS, a very poorly understood condition that can be debilitating and disabling. I would appreciate as much help as possible with supporting Susie's efforts re: MCS Awareness.

There are so many awareness campaigns happening this month that it's very challenging for me to keep up. I would appreciate any help at all. Supporting the MCS cause on twitter and checking out Susie's outstanding blog would be enormously helpful.

Thank you!

This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.

Endosulfan Pesticide Banned in New Zealand: Endometriosis, Infertility, Breast Cancer & Pesticides...

Do you have endometriosis, infertility, or breast cancer? Then this post may be of interest to you.

I am currently reading a book called Silent Spring (for information regarding this book, please see the environmental section of the right sidebar of this blog).

It talks about a number of things including pesticides. I am about 2/3 of the way finished with this book and I look forward to telling you more about it in a future post.

Interestingly, I just last night received a Google alert for endometriosis regarding a pesticide called endosulfan that has been banned in New Zealand.

Here is the Google alert I got that was flagged for the key word "endometriosis":

The New Zealand Herald: Cancer group delighted with ban

The reason this is particularly interesting to me is that the Silent Spring book I'm currently reading was written decades ago and covers the dangerous effects of pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides.

ALL THESE YEARS LATER, SUCH TOXIC CHEMICALS AS THOSE WRITTEN ABOUT IN SILENT SPRING ARE STILL IN USED IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD.

It is alarming that the warning bells of Silent Spring were not heeded and that chemical companies' profits appear to have won out over public health, the well being of the planet itself, and common sense. Rachel Carson's prescient story of the profound impact of such toxins is mind-boggling to me.

Endosulfan has been banned in many countries as per the preceding wikipedia link.

Per the wikipedia entry on endosulfan, it is registered for agricultural use in the United States.

Here is an excerpt from the endosulfan wikipedia entry:

Health effects

Endosulfan is one of the more toxic pesticides on the market today, responsible for many fatal pesticide poisoning incidents around the world [see the wikipedia entry for footnotes]. Endosulfan is also a xenoestrogen — a synthetic substance that imitates or enhances the effect of estrogen — and it can act as an endocrine disruptor, causing reproductive and developmental damage in both animals and humans. Whether endosulfan can cause cancer is debated.

For more information on endocrine disruptors, see the "Our Stolen Future" website.

This book is next on my reading list and I plan to review it in the future.

After numerous quotes from and references to this book on this blog, I am finally going to read it in its entirety! (See book info in right sidebar of this blog).

First, I need to finish reading "Silent Spring"!

Related articles:

There are numerous articles that have talked about some of the topics mentioned in this post. For more info from past posts, please use the search engine located in the top left corner of this homepage. Type in your search word and then just click search to be routed to previous articles.

This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.

Adversity, Challenges, Frustration And The "Secret To Life" According To Tori Amos...

After yesterday's pretty somber (but important) article about toxins, I decided today is one of those days to lighten things up a bit! Many of us have heard phrases to the effect of, "you can't always control what happens to you but you can control how you choose to react to it".



(Picture credits go to http://everythingtori.com/go/galleries/)

I've written before about one of my favorite musicians, Tori Amos, who happens to have endometriosis. I decided to quote her here today because the way I interpret her lyrics (see below) is essentially that everything can be falling apart around you, you can be anxious and upset about it all, but in the end... you CAN get through it with your inner strength.

You CAN get through amazingly hard times and adversity simply by relying on yourself. That, to me, is a very simply worded yet very powerful statement.

"Well I found the secret to life... I found the secret to life... I'm okay when everything is not okay... I said I found the secret to life... Found the secret to life... I'm okay when everything is not okay... Is not okay..."

-- Tori Amos (musician, singer, songwriter, pianist)

No matter what adversity you experience, if you look for the silver lining, the positive, and the purpose in everything... you can get through more than you probably think you can.

As simple as Tori's words are, they are loaded for me because the notion that one can "be OK when everything is not OK", to me, means that one can learn, grow, thrive, be productive, and move on even when difficult circumstances make things seem overwhelming.

(Picture credits go to http://everythingtori.com/go/galleries/)

No matter how challenging or overwhelming things get, I think it's important to be grateful for what we do have and to simply appreciate the resources available to us, the information we have access to, and the loved ones who support us. In the end, though, we can always rely on ourselves and our inner strength to get through the rough patches and come out the other end OK.

Besides, this post gives me an excuse to post a picture of when I met Tori Amos backstage... Yes, that's me with Tori! In my hands are my autographed picture of Tori and my friend's camera before we switched places so that I could get a picture of her with Tori. :)

(Picture credits for this shot go to my friend who attended the concert with me!)

Tori Amos is an amazing, strong woman. Her strength gives me strength when facing the challenges of my illnesses.

For a sample of Tori's music, listen to "Almost Rosey" (on the playlist.com music player in this blog's sidebar).

As I've previously written things that reference Tori Amos, here are some related links:

Sunday, June 15, 2008 What is My Connection to Tori Amos??

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 Endometriosis Blog: "Almost Rosey" -- The Healing & Supportive Power Of Music And Other Relaxation Techniques (Video Clip Included)

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 Endo Blog: How Much Can Quotes & Artwork Heal, Comfort, And Enlighten Us??

This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.

VIDEOS on Glass Recycling Day & Over-packaging With Plastic, Why Plastics And Endometriosis Are Not Good Companions, & Facebook Groups Of Interest!

I just joined the Keep it Organic group on Facebook.

I discovered Keep it Organic group after Vanessa Posada has posted about it on another Facebook group: Fake Plastic Fish.

Both are interesting Facebook groups so check them out!

Anyway, the Keep it Organic group recently uploaded a new video for Glass Recycling Day called "Glass Can't Recycle Itself". (Had I known about Glass Recycling Day (which was December 10, 2008), I would have posted about it sooner but I'm figuring "better late than never").

In any event, here is the winner of the Recycle Glass Day YouTube competition:



(Per YouTube, this stop motion video was posted on YouTube on November 11, 2008 and produced for GPI's Glass Recycling Day PSA by Michigan State University)

For more information about glass recycling:

Glass Packaging Institute

The link below is the source for the information below it titled "Toxic Link to Endo":

The Endometriosis Association

Toxic Link to Endo:

ENDOMETRIOSIS and the TOXIC LINK-

Endometriosis is an endocrine and immune disease that affects an estimated 89 million women and girls around the world, regardless of ethnic or social origin. The incidence of allergies, asthma, and chemical sensitivities in women with endometriosis is higher than in the general population. Women with endometriosis are also at higher risk for autoimmune diseases and certain types of cancers.
The connection with chemical toxins-

Dioxin is a toxic byproduct of industrial and consumer processes that involve chlorine or incineration of chlorine-containing substances, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride, commonly known as “vinyl”) plastics. The main sources of dioxins are medical waste incineration, municipal waste incineration, chemical and plastic manufacturing, some pesticides, and pulp and paper bleaching. PVC disposable medical devices, such as IV bags and tubing, are a major concern because they become medical waste, which is often incinerated. Dioxins formed during incineration are released into the air and travel via air currents, contaminating fields and crops. Cattle and other livestock eat the crops and the dioxin enters their tissue. Humans then eat the contaminated animal products.

In the early 1990s, the Endometriosis Association found that 79% of a group of monkeys developed endometriosis after exposure to dioxin in their food during a research study over ten years earlier. The severity of endometriosis found in the monkeys was directly related to the amount of TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin – the most toxic dioxin) to which they had been exposed. Monkeys that were fed dioxin in amounts as small as five parts per trillion developed endometriosis. In addition, the dioxin-exposed monkeys showed immune abnormalities similar to those observed in women with endometriosis.

I came across this 1 minute video on YouTube and just had to share it.

Here is the YouTube description of it: Winner of Friends of the Earth's Best One-minute green film award.

Director Ulla Jacobsen (Denmark) on her entry: "Over-packaging of children's toys takes on absurd dimensions..."

What our judges said:

"Simple story, simply told" - David Sproxton
"Brilliant film. Perfect! The best!" - Dilly Gent
"Good concept" - Andrew Macdonald



This post was a bit of a hodge-podge about glass recycling, some interesting Facebook groups, and the dangers of plastic manufacturing and incineration to people's health (specifically in regard to endometriosis but also impacting other conditions).

Reducing, reusing, and recycling is so important!

Finally, don't forget to check these out!!!

(1) The Together We Can Cure Endometriosis Facebook group

(2) The "Jeanne's Endo Blog" Blog Network on Facebook

I look forward to seeing you on Facebook. There are many worthwhile groups there.

This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.