Because Your Baby's Worth It

And your baby's baby, and your future generations to come.

If you have been following this blog for awhile, you know that I do not support GMO (genetically modified), pesticides, toxins, even Monsanto.  However, the more I learn, the more I am realizing that although those are definite problems, the everyday toxins that are around us are also a big issue.  And that issue, it sounds, is getting bigger. Not to mention, cancer, obesity, fertility problems are only increasing, not decreasing.

For women, especially pregnant women or women in their child-baring years, this is even more important because we carry the next generation.  There is no mother in this world who would want anything less, that her baby would have the best possible chance of growing up healthy.

[This is going to be a sobering post, so read on if you are ready for it.]  According to an article (sourced below), scientists are becoming increasingly worried that even extremely low levels of some environmental contaminants may have significant damaging effects on our bodies, especially fetuses.  And the problem is that some of the chemicals interfere with our hormonal systems (or endocrine systems) that control our weight, biorhythms, and our reproduction.

Synthetic hormones are used quite often when dealing with the doctor. Steroid shots, drugs to alleviate menopausal symptoms, birth control, etc.  Some taken every once in awhile, but others, not so once in awhile.

Add to that exposure, perhaps what one may have encountered this morning on a run.  Breathing in pesticide laden lawns (and remember, you can't see the pesticides), then going to Starbucks and drinking the plasticizers from the tea cup (I think I will be limiting this habit from now on), and getting exposed to the wide array of ingredients used to perfume the soap and enhance the performance of the shampoo and moisturizer.  And do this day after day, week after week.  These repeated activities don't stay at "low" level exposures in the long run.

Some laboratory studies in mice, and some human subjects, have found that low level endocrine-disrupting chemicals induce subtle changes in developing fetus, having a significant effect in adulthood.

The EPA and FDA are responsible for banning dangerous chemicals and for overseeing food and drug testing.  Scientists and clinicians are concerned their efforts have been lacking, and techniques and methods of analysis for toxicology testing have not kept up since they were developed in the 1950s.

But the scientists haven't been quiet.  Professional societies representing more than 40,000 scientists wrote a letter to the FDA and EPA offering their expertise.  I hope the government will listen and respond.  As an average US citizen who wants to live healthy and be disease free, I want to be supportive of such research and efforts.  My future babies are worth it.


Source: Toxins All Around Us by Patricia Hunt, Professor of Genetics at Washington State University