Since my surgery and radiation for a third small breast cancer I have lived in a more natural way. I have immersed myself in creating a chemical free home, growing my own organic food and found kindred spirits in the permaculture movement.
But over the last few months events have impressed on me what little understanding there is out there as to the environmental causes of breast cancer.My wonderful new gym welcomed me with a bag and plastic drinking bottle bearing their logo.
I wanted to scream `NO, NO, NO' but instead decided to write this blog post.
Research has shown all plastics can leach and at different exposure levels some of these leached chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA), may cause cancer in people.
BPA is a weak synthetic estrogen which in the body acts to disrupt hormones along with other chemicals found in plastics.
Hormone disrupters affect how estrogen and other hormones act in the body, by blocking or mimicking them.
These estrogen mimics are a factor in the development of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer and someone like myself who has had three such cancers NOW works hard to limit their exposure to such chemicals.
I stay away from plastics in microwaves, use ceramic plates, cook in pyrex or stainless steel, and wrap up my sandwiches in wax paper.
I have been invited to social events where food is warmed in plastic containers in microwaves, and served on throw away plastic plates with plastic utensils. I want to scream, `AREN'T YOU LISTENING' but instead work to get the word out there.
The plastic bottle from my wonderful, new friendly gym will not be used. I have my own stainless steel drinking bottle thank you very much and I hope one day we will all discard plastics from our food utensils and use recyclable and natural materials instead.
