Cell Phones, Cancer and You

I was struck by meeting Devra Davis a few years ago while I was very pregnant. She is a cancer researcher who had just published The History of the Secret War on Cancer. As I waddled up to have her book signed, I pointed out the obvious and asked what a her advice would be to a pregnant woman to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals in everyday life. She told me to eat low on the food chain. And I have taken that into consideration with the diet that I consume and share with my family. 

Today, Dr. Davis runs Environmental Health Trust. She was recently interviewed on the Leonard Lopate Show on WNYC regarding the issue of cell phones and their potential health impact. She has a new book out (Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Has Done to Hide It, and How to Protect Your Family) and again is raising questions about an activity most of us do rather thoughtlessly. She recognizes that our culture is forever changed by these devices but argues that we need to look closely at how they might contribute to increased rates of cancer and other neurological problems. My daughter loves to talk on the phone. It doesn't matter if it is her Dad's blackberry, her babysitter's iPhone or our digital home phone. I do everything I can to keep her away from it and if she is talking to someone, that she places it on speaker holding it away from her precious head. Let's just say that again, Dr. Davis has raised my awareness. I'm going to learn about this issue and take precautions now and when I become pregnant again. My next post will be on practical tips for avoiding radiation without completely giving up wireless devices. Stay tuned.

Holistic Moms Making Change Again

I was honored to speak to another great group of moms on Monday night. They very much impressed me with how much they already choose products and methods with chemical toxicity in mind.

Part of what made it a great night was being able to provide these moms with some products and information to help them take their safer lifestyle to another level. Many of us feel comfortable with our cleaners, our laundry detergent, our food and clothing - to move away from what is known and predictable to something that might be healthier for us, isn't always as easy as it seems. Part of my talk is about trying new things and seeing just how great safer products can be, not only from a peace-of-mind perspective, but also product performance!

Thank you to these companies for their contributions to our talk for Holistic Moms Network.
Olive Organics, Mequon
Lillie’s, Cedarburg
Bella & Boo, web local
Children's Orchard, Milwaukee
Badger Balm
Motherlove
Glad Rags
BornFree
Water Geeks
LeadCheck
HoneyBee Gardens
Zosimos Cosmetics
Healthy Communities Project
Environmental Working Group

Heroes and How to Proceed

I've hesitated posting about this, because frankly, I'm speechless. I was incredibly fortunate to be near a conference for midwives that hosted Sandra Steingraber a few weeks ago. It was so amazing to hear her speak and meet her afterward. She is truly a warrior, doing the hard work of deciphering and then sharing news that is hard to hear. Her gifts are many, but one that sets her work apart from the rest is her ability to present science in a way that is poetic. Those of us who have to work hard to digest the science are relieved that her books have a poetry that makes the science palatable.

I hope you will check out the updated version of her book, Living Downstream as well as the documentary film just released based on the film. Her story is intriguing and her continued work in this area courageous. What I learned from her has changed my life for the better and undoubtedly that of my child.

With this amazing experience comes the question of how to proceed. I feel a true responsibility to share information about everyday toxic exposure with mothers especially. It is a difficult topic that many do not want to hear. And I don't blame them. Much would be easier if I knew less than I know. But I've come to know it for a reason. So how do I move forward? How do I reach those women planning to become pregnant, at least planting a seed of what they may want to be aware of as they embark on the incredible journey towards parenthood?

Summer Strawberries

They come and go so fast, I literally made the decision at 9pm to dash the next day a couple hours away to the nearest organic strawberry farm for one of summer's loveliest treats.  8 quarts of berries yielded 10 pints of jam. I tried a recipe that used agar powder instead of other jelling agents and honey instead of the ridiculous amount of sugar called for in traditional freezer jam. The process was quick and easy and the product superb. I encourage you to find an organic strawberry farm before it's too late and put up some jam for the long winter. Strawberries are high on the list of foods to avoid because of pesticide residue, so we only eat organic ones. It's well worth the slightly higher cost to know we're eating safe and the land and workers on the farm were treated with respect. Yum.

US joins endosulfan ban

While it could become totally overwhelming to contemplate the countless threats to my personal and family health and safety, I still see great value in making an effort to avoid as much toxic exposure as possible. This is an issue that is exhausting, infuriating and sometimes disgusting. So it is nice to have something better to report.

Endosulfan - another in the long list of agricultural chemicals has been banned by the FDA. I have not found research discussing the longevity of this chemical and its residue. Because it is structurally similar to DDT, I think it probably will be with us in our soil and water for some time to come, but that is pure speculation. Used most heavily on cotton, beans and zucchini, this chlorinated insecticide has been shown to effect kidney, liver, central nervous system and male reproductive organs. 

Banning in the US comes late, given that it has already been banned in 62 other countries. But it is still used in Brazil, Australia and produced and used in India.

Next to stop, the use of malathion. Check out this 10-year old letter by Beyond Pesticides.

After attending a talk on chemicals in our foods at Milwaukee's Urban Ecology Center this week, I am again acutely aware of the importance of doing whatever I can to keep my family from exposure to environmental toxins. Thanks to Steven Levsen, Ph. D for the excellent information. He's a chemist, organic farmer and cancer survivor. 

Toxic Info Explosion

Wow. Amazing what a powerful media outlet like CNN can do. We'll see if the program lives up to the hype. But I'm thrilled that even before airing, the media is FULL of articles, interviews and more on the topic. The program couldn't be more timely given the public's heightened awareness of chemical exposure due to the BP incident in the Gulf. Here's the short list:
CNN Toxic America
Brian Lehrer on WNYC (last segment listed "Toxic America")
The Plastic Panic  The New Yorker
There's No Place Like Home...  USA Today
Domestic Detox  NY Times
CNN Reveals Toxic America  Huffington Post

I will post my thoughts after viewing. I can only hope this will prompt more people to become more aware.

A Reel Workout

Continuing on the issue of lawn care, you know if you've read previous posts that I recently moved from an urban area to a suburban area with a giant lawn. Having had limited lawn care experience from childhood, I underestimated the amount of time, energy and money that goes into lawn care. It's complicated by not having a lot of time away from my toddler. I simply don't want to put her in the way of stinky exhaust and it makes me nervous to run a power mower with her anywhere nearby. And my ears ring afterward.

So I bought this at a tag sale. I'm still working out the kinks, figuring out how to sharpen it, adjust the blades, etc. I don't think it's that much more of a workout than our power push mower. And I'm surprised at how well it cuts, even before being sharpened.

There is a new interest in these reel mowers, presumably because of increased eco-awareness but also to eliminate the gas and oil expenses (not to mention engine repairs).

There is no engine noise to bother my ears or my neighbors. I'll be able to help with the lawn even as I think about another pregnancy. And I'm told they allow for a healthier lawn. It just gets better and better.

Pesticides and Our Kids' Health

So many scientists and parents, too would like a straight line to be drawn between a disorder like ADHD and the cause. I simply don't believe that's possible. I believe it is a complicated intersection between genetics, environmental exposure and physical and brain activity. But it is affirming to know that studies are showing the link between chemicals and sickness and almost more importantly, that the press is finally talking about it. Surely you heard about this latest study on any of the major networks (Study: A Link Between Pesticides and ADHD) and even the Today Show (their medical reporter found it 'alarming'. Duh.) And bloggers like Red Pill Parents are talking about it as well. Pesticides kill pests and/or repel them. How could they be 'good' for any of us? 


What does it mean practically? The usual for us. Whole foods bought from trusted sources using organic farming methods. And when organic spinach or strawberries or apples aren't available, we choose to eat something safer. We use Environmental Working Group's list of fruits and vegetables rated for pesticide use.

At least the President's Cancer Panel report is generating some conversation. I was pleased to hear Sandra Steingraber brought into that discussion today on Tom Ashbrook's program, On Point.  I particularly liked the reference to lawn and landscape treatments made by a caller who said in part, that our neighbors to the north have outlawed most chemical lawn care. I'm excited to see this new documentary as well based on Steingraber's book, Living Downstream. Take a listen. I'll post more media as I find it.

Here's another from earlier this week. Brian Lehrer on wnyc is one of my favorite public radio personalities. I wish he had pressed the American Cancer Society representative further. No one seems to be asking this doctor how the frequently sited risk factors (obesity, smoking, poor nutrition, etc.) may INTERCONNECT with the issues raised in the report. They are not competing and he seems to react as if the report is a threat of some kind. He argues on about scientific evidence - Let's be clear. No one expects a straight line to be drawn between one chemical and one cancer. I don't believe it works that way and am not about to hold my breath for "evidence" (especially evidence that will likely be suppressed or manipulated by whatever industry it exposes.)

Yes, 30% of cancers may have some relationship to smoking, but what about the other 70%? Maybe no one wants to talk about it because they think it places blame on the victim if causation can be determined.   Perhaps, but I'd rather have the information available so I can make as many choices as possible to bob and weave between the toxins.

Meanwhile, I'm hoping to make a fundraiser this weekend for a young mother of two suffering with melanoma to help her pay for her treatment. Pray for her. And pray for her children.

True Community

I'm still ruminating over the President's Cancer Panel and wondering how much impact it will have on those not already in-the-know. But as the rain pours down today, I think about my raised-bed garden; raised because we don't know how our lawn was treated prior to our arrival. We suspect it was treated with weed killing chemicals and fertilizer. I also wonder what run-off we will get in our soil but eventually in our well water from our neighbors who use chemicals on their lawns. We're all interconnected. I imagine a day when the choices we make take into consideration the effect they have on others. That's what I think is a true community.

On a lighter note, we made homemade finger paints today. Cornstarch, water and food coloring. What could be easier than that?  Oh, and anything that stains her clothes as much as this does is not something I ever want her (or me for that matter) to consume.

Chemicals, Cancer and an Awakening

I am no scientist or doctor. But I have done some reading and need little convincing that the chemicals found in everything around and in us, are very likely making us sick.  This NY Times op-ed was the first published piece I saw yesterday upon the release of the President's Cancer Panel report suggesting that we and our unborn babies have an incredible chemical body-burden. 


Could this be the tipping point? This is huge in that it is a highly visible, mainstream effort - away from the politics of the alternative health community or organic farming supporters. Theoretically over time, this will become general knowledge. And as you might suspect, it took less than 24 hours for the panel's work to be called exaggerated from of all groups, the American Cancer Society.  It's easier apparently for them to continue the mantra about eating right and exercising than to address the overwhelming impact that our constant, compounded exposure to chemicals through food, water, air and personal care products has on our health.


Here are a few of the practical suggestions the report makes. 


--Avoid known or suspected toxics in foods, toys, health care, home and garden products/treatments for you and your children
--Invest in a high quality water filter and avoid food/water stored in plastics to avoid BPA exposure and other plastic components.
--Buy organic produced or those grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers
--Buy clean meat, grown without antibiotics or added hormones or that which has been processed


Many people in my life wonder why I go to such pains to reduce my everyday exposure to chemicals. Admittedly, there are times when my ways are odd. But as a child, I watched my mom suffer tremendously and die from cancer. I never want my child to experience that and I never want to watch another loved one endure such pain. That's the reason. It's an uphill battle, but one I find a moral imperative.

The Stink of Trash

My daughter got to see real, live cows, horses and sheep today and beautiful nearby farms. It was thrilling to see her make the connection between those animals and the illustrated ones in her books. Then we came upon the local dump. It was astonishing how big this landfill was. They once wanted to make it into a ski hill... But I guess if the average American throws out 16,000 lbs of trash every year, it's only going to get bigger. I'm trying to focus on the first part of the car ride, because the dump is disturbing.

Makes me wonder what is in the water used on those farms. And what ends up in our food.

Makes me wonder how the people who live near the dump (and there are people literally living in brand new condos across the street) tolerate the stench. And what their toxic exposure is.

Makes me wonder how I can throw out less stuff. I love the challenge of reusing and repurposing things.
How about you?

The Joys of Home Cooking

It is important that our daughter see us create healthy, delicious meals every day in our home kitchen. To me, it is central to her childhood experience as it is the place where we share so much as a family. Gluten Free Girl and I have daughters that were born days apart and she wrote a fantastic post on this subject recently.

Aside from those benefits, is the confidence in knowing exactly what goes into our food. This is especially true for me when making special holiday meals. Sure, it's easier to run to the grocery store bakery for a cake, but there is something emotional missing from that for me. And I certainly don't know what kind of scary ingredients may have gone into it.  My general skepticism for genetically modified foods was reiterated in Food Inc. and deepened in a recently post by Dr. Mercola.

So we make choices. Mine is to show my daughter that we can express ourselves in many ways - one of them is providing food that shows our care for one another, celebrates an occasion and nourishes our bodies, all at the same time.

Money and Breastfeeding

There are so many reasons to know that breastfeeding makes sense. Today it is making news because it saves cents - that is, a tremendous amount of money and much more importantly babies' lives.

It can be challenging, it can be difficult and much more so when a woman is without sufficient educational resources and emotional support. I had all of that and still had moments of wondering whether or not I could keep going. There are a lot of myths about it out there. But the solid evidence showing the benefits of breastfeeding made it easier for me push through the hard times.

There are many people who recoil at encouragement to breastfeed siting 'militant' women who insist it is the only way, often making mothers feel guilty if they had trouble. What to feed our children is an intensely personal decision that effects their health, their future nutrition choices and our finances. My point is that, rarely does a mom experience absolutely no challenges during the nursing time (which can stretch well into toddler years.) So let's support those mothers through the challenges instead of immediately pointing to the "more convenient" alternatives. (I never thought bottle feeding was at all convenient - mixing, heating, carrying it with me; what a hassle.)

As a community, we ought to recognize our own stakes in the health and well being of our children. I hope those involved with pregnant women will do everything they can to encourage the natural, loving act of breastfeeding.

Candy, chocolate and colored eggs

It really is tough to resist filling my daughter's Easter basket with sweet goodies and spending the afternoon dipping eggs in food coloring and other chemical processes (that are admittedly fun and dramatic). However, the alternatives are worth a little extra time and for me, definitely worth putting in place now so there is less expectation when my toddler is more aware of more traditional ideas.

We colored eggs using cooked down red cabbage (blue), cooked down turmeric with cream of tarter (yellow), and beet juice with vinegar (brownish-red). All took overnight soaks for really saturated colors and be careful not to stain your clothes, countertops, etc. There are soy based crayons or beeswax candles you can use to draw on the egg before dipping to create another effect.

I filled her basket with tiny gifts instead of candy - socks, a book, mini rolling pin for play-baking. But I loved this post on Red Pill Parents on alternatives to conventional Easter treats. I would love to hear your ideas, too for next year. Drop me a line.

If you are celebrating this week, I wish you a meaningful holiday.

Pests and our Preschoolers

As the weather becomes warmer, I have been itching to get out into our yard to do some planting. You see, this is the first spring I have had a yard to play in in over a decade. So you can imagine that my view on gardening, fertilizer, pest management and what not has changed dramatically since then.

A study done on preschoolers (from in utero to age 3) in upper Manhattan and the South Bronx was recently released showing a connection between exposure to an insecticide, chlorpyrifos and neuro-developmental delays. Chlorpyrifos, very common up until it was banned from residential use in 2001, was used in commercial and personal roach control products among other things. It suggests that this chemical easily crosses the placenta into the fetus and is connected with increased delays in cognitive and motor development.

Having lived in NYC, there isn't an apartment there that doesn't deal with roaches at some point or another. Once I became aware of the potential dangers of these products, we switched to a carefully controlled use of boric acid. While we refused extermination service each month, our neighbors did not, so I was undoubtedly exposed to at least some of it while I was pregnant.

To me, there isn't a lot of surprise in this latest study or the response. It reinvigorates my efforts to keep chemicals away from my family and me. The problem is that I can't control the farmers, the municipal workers and others who may still be using this chemical (however unaware of its effects) on nearby areas. Has it seeped into our well water? Is it in our food crops? Who knows? And again, it causes me pause that we as a society don't demand the testing of all chemicals before they are used. Period.

Roaches are gross and carry disease. But if the cure for them is at the damage of our children, there must be a better way.

Why are our children sick before they are even born? It is devastating to all of us.

Another Brave Person-Monona Rossol, industrial chemist

Being the mother of a toddler, I have little time these days to hang out online. But I found a Leonard Lopate program from September 2009 featuring Monona Rossol, an industrial chemist to be fascinating and as usual, alarming. She is founder and president of the nonprofit, Arts, Crafts & Theatre Safety. It also reaffirmed a lot of the efforts I make to keep as many nasty chemicals out of my toddler's way as possible, even when that effort is a pain or socially odd.

In light of recent press on the role of environmental toxins in relation to Autism, (Nicholas Kristof, NY Times 2/24/10) this conversation is yet another stretch of what most of us consider harmless products and chemicals found in everyday items. The truth is that BPA is just the tip of the iceberg.

Check out the radio program. It very well may cause you to look at a variety of products in a new light.

Level headed information hits the airways

I was so pleased to hear a civil conversation on the Leonard Lopate show on WNYC yesterday. He interviewed Yale professor, John Wargo who has written a new book on environmental exposure and toxic load. I am eager to read this book and see if it is as immediately available as the author was during the interview yesterday. It becomes clearer to me every time I hear an expert discuss this topic, yet I am reminded how utterly obvious the basic concepts are. Ironic that this interview came the day after a new report suggesting that autism is now as prevalent as 1 in 100. Tragic, but not surprising. I hope you'll visit this site and take a listen.

The Diaper Dilemma

I was recently listening to a public radio interview with an individual who has worked on environmental issues her whole life. I admire this woman because she has taken a bold stance on sustainability and was in the game before it was fashionable. So I was totally shocked to hear her say that she uses disposable diapers. (hear the needle scratching the record) What?

Now, I don't know what her situation is and I work not to judge this particular choice because there are a number of elements that go into it. But that can be challenging for me given what my family has done in this department. So let's focus on that as the example rather than speculating on why an environmental activist would choose disposable diapers.

We knew we wanted to avoid the waste of disposable diapers. I had also read about the questionable materials and thereby the chemicals in disposable diapers. I wanted my daughter to have natural fibers against her skin as much as possible. I also liked the idea of Elimination Communication so my kid didn't have to sit in her own waste much. Supposedly disposables work so well at keeping baby dry, that potty training can be even harder when the time comes. I hated the idea of spending gobs of money supporting companies that perpetuate disposable diapers and frankly, didn't know how often we would be able to take the garbage down our 4 flights of stairs.

So we decided we'd do cloth diapers and hired the local diaper service (which in my understanding is NOT more eco-friendly than disposables because they wash them 10x). I don't believe they exist any longer and given our experience, this is no surprise. We started laundering them ourselves when our daughter was about 7 weeks. To my big surprise, this was not the traumatic and cumbersome process I thought it would be. Admittedly, diaper needs change as time goes by, but generally the purpose and process are the same. Using EC, we had some weeks when we hardly used a few dipes a day, other weeks when it seemed we went through our whole stash. The point is, it's really not that much more work than taking out the garbage and making it to the store to buy a big box of stuff you'll throw away. What is the big deal about 1-2 extra loads of laundry per week? And we don't even have laundry in our building, so for us, it includes hauling them down the block to the laundromat.

If you're at the point in your pregnancy where you're pondering this decision, or if you've had it with diaper rash and the stink of plastic pants, consider good old fashioned Chinese prefolds and the fabulous *new* diaper covers. No pins, no fuss. Or you could get fancy and try the all-in-one diapers or pocket diapers. And if you are committed to elimination communication and the time is right, you can graduate to trainers that make potty stops when you're out and about a breeze. Laundering is easy too, but you do need to modify your technique and detergent to make it gentle enough for baby.

We very occasionally will use a disposable if we're out for such a long time that carrying enough clean (and then used) diapers isn't practical (like when we fly), but even that is hard for me. We use Tushies brand because I have read they are the safest.

I wish couples knew that this was completely feasible. If we can do it in a 5th floor walk-up, anyone can.

All Stainless Steel Bottles NOT Alike

Just when you thought you had your bases covered, new information comes to light. It has been reported that SIGG water bottles until recently were coated with plastic. Really? When you know that your customers are paying a premium to buy your product in large part because you are trusted to make safe, reliable products and you decide its worth it to undermine that? What a big disappointment. Of course, it also reminds us that knock-off products may be the same.

EWG comes through again with information and action. Check out their letter to SIGG and request for a bottle exchange program posted on Huffington Post. Tree Hugger.com has an excellent article with information on other types of aluminum bottles and what were found with testing. SIGG reports that their bottles tested safe, meaning no BPA was found to leach. But what if the bottle is dented causing the plastic coating to open up? How long does it take for this coating to degrade? What if one uses this bottle for other types of liquids that react negatively with the coating causing it to break down?

Bottom line is that if I'm going to bother hauling around an aluminum bottle, it's to avoid having to drink out of a plastic one. Though SIGG stopped lining their bottles in 2008, for me it's damaged the brand name perhaps irreparably.

Other options for bottles that I understand are not coated with plastic:

Klean Kanteen

Green Bottle

Camelbak

The Water Geeks