The CDC estimates that right now BPA is in the bodies of 93 percent of Americans, with higher levels in teens than in adults, and higher levels in children than in teens.
Why Should You Care About BPA?
A growing body of scientific research has linked the weak estrogenic compound bisphenol-A (BPA) to a variety of health problems, such as infertility, prostate cancer, and breast cancer. BPA is the main building block of polycarbonate plastic, a hard plastic widely used to make kitchen utensils, food storage containers, travel mugs, and water bottles. BPA is also a main component of the epoxy linings found in metal food and beverage cans. The problem: Polycarbonate plastics can leach BPA into our food and beverages.
What Can You Do To Protect Yourself From BPA?
In addition to reducing BPA exposure through your consumer purchases (such as plastics and canned foods), you can block its damages through the foods you eat! Researchers at Duke University found that they could completely block BPA damage, even in the face of significant exposure, by giving pregnant animals extra folate (found mostly in green leafy vegetables – foliage – such as spinach) or extra genistein (found mostly in legumes such as soy). The amount of genistein given was comparable to what we would get in our diets if we ate soy foods regularly.
Click on What If You Already Used BPA? BPA Protection: Spinach and Soy by Dr. Green to read more.
