By Lisa Miller
In the course of a typical day, do you shampoo your hair; wash your face; apply deodorant, lotion, nail polish, perfume or lipstick; eat fast food; drink from a reusable plastic water bottle; use a computer; cook dinner in a nonstick pan; or snack on microwave popcorn? If the answer is yes, chances are you've been exposed to several chemicals that could make you sick.
In her book, "The Body Toxic," investigative journalist Nena Baker presents an eye-opening review of hundreds of scientific studies on several hazardous chemicals lurking in everyday products. I was shocked to learn how long some of these substances linger in our bodies and how much harm they might cause.
According to Baker, ingredients in the "toxic stew" that's brewing inside the average person include: atrazine, an agricultural pesticide found in drinking water; phthalates, found in personal care products, cosmetics, detergents, vinyl flooring, food packaging, air fresheners and plastic containers; polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a family of flame retardants found in electronics, furniture, mattresses and carpet padding; bisphenol A, found in canned goods, baby bottles, sippy cups, water cooler jugs, reusable plastic water bottles and dental sealants; and perfluorinated chemicals, used in stain-, water- and grease-resistant products such as nonstick pans, microwave popcorn bags, fast food packaging, carpets, clothing and shoes.
Scientists interviewed in Baker's book make the case that the rise in diseases and conditions including asthma, attention deficit disorder, autism, breast cancer, diabetes, endometriosis and obesity may be linked to our constant exposure to these chemicals, which can interfere with the body's reproductive, developmental and behavioral systems.
The American public has a disturbingly false sense of security. We are completely unaware of the risks we may be taking when we buy and use everyday items. We assume products are safe because they are widely available. But, as Baker reveals, neither the Food & Drug Administration nor the Environmental Protection Agency is equipped to monitor and regulate the growing number of complex chemicals found in everything from canned goods to carpets.
We've all heard about the dangers of lead poisoning. Manufacturers have removed lead from paint and, after the brouhaha over unsafe toys from China last fall, lead screening on imported toys has been stepped up. But, did you know lead could also be lurking in lipstick? Two years ago, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (www.safecosmetics.org) tested 33 popular lipstick brands and found 61 percent contained lead. Teens are especially vulnerable, because they are still developing and because they use so many personal-care products. In fact, in a study of 20 girls ages 14-19, the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) found 16 different chemicals linked to cancer and hormone disruption in the teens' blood and urine.
The good news is that we seem to be at a turning point in the green revolution, where industrial pollution is becoming not just an environmentalist's cause but a public health issue. The Obama administration has pledged to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act so that the EPA can more easily determine whether a chemical found in a consumer product poses a health risk.
From a cultural standpoint, the idea of chemicals being bad for us must be gaining acceptance, because a growing number of mainstream brands are offering "green" cleaning products and "natural" foods, presumably to make sure the small upstarts don't steal their market share.
There's also increased marketing of health products related to toxic cleansing, such as the detox foot patch, which claims to increase energy and promote a healthy immune system by "naturally drawing toxins from your body while you sleep"; numerous cleansing drinks, teas and pills; and a growing number of celebrities incorporating juice fasts and colonics into their health regimens.
Whether these are a legitimate way to improve health in a world where chemicals are everywhere remains to be seen. In the meantime, how do we negotiate the increasing conflict between natural and manmade; between the growing green movement and the industrial promise of "better living through chemistry?" I know I can't filter the air I breathe or worry about every ingredient in every product, but I can limit my exposure with simple changes. For example, since reading Baker's book, I've sworn off microwave popcorn, invested in a water filter and begun reading personal-care product labels more carefully.
I work hard to eat right, exercise and get adequate sleep "" so it would be beyond ironic to one day get sick because of the chemicals in my nonstick pans, water bottles and mattress.
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Lisa Miller is a freelance writer who lives in Oneonta. She can be reached at lisamiller44@hotmail.com.
