Living in the Age of Bisphenol A

Plastic. Since its development in the 1860’s, by Alexander Parkes, we’ve seen this amazingly diverse material mold into our houses via almost every object under the sun. From food containers to cutlery, pens and mobile phones, we’ve taken advantage of this revolutionary material and its adaptability, however was this a particularly wise move for the human race?

It’s cheap, and easy to make but at what cost?

As concluded by the the U.S. Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR) and reported by senior author Scott Belcher, an associate professor of pharmacology at the University of Cincinnati, the chemical component of everyday plastic, Bisphenol A (BPA), is a major culprit behind the inefficient activity of the endocrine system. Put simply, BPA has the ability to imitate human hormones, disrupt proper hormone production, and attach itself to hormone receptors, even in low quantities.

The major fear has been BPA found in baby bottles. When polycarbonate plastic is heated the release of BPA is increased by 55 times. What does this mean for parents? As BPA enters the system it replicates the female hormone estradiol. This means that fetuses and infants are susceptible to prostate cancer, breast cancer, obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Since its domestic introduction, we’ve seen a dramatic rise in the adult onset of chronic illnesses, such as those above.

It’s a scary thought, but surely there’s another side to the story?

According to the Plastics Division of the American Chemisty Council BPA has no negative effects on the human body. In fact BPA can “help to improve the health and safety of consumers.” You might be thinking how exactly can polycarbonate plastic, a derivative of crude oil, improve the health and safety of consumers?

“….plastics make possible bicycle helmets and child safety seats. They’re in the airbags that protect us and the cell phones that connect us.” Valid argument, however there’s just one thing missing. Where is the independent research which shows that BPA itself has no negative effects on humans? Research in favour of BPA has been conducted by none other than the American Chemistry Council, plastic division. Research results have also appeared by pro-BPA company Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group, whose executive director, Steven Hentges, Ph.D., is a member of the American Chemistry Council.

As the debate continues I ask that you take a step back and proceed with caution. We live in the age where the chemical manipulation of consumer products is increasingly wide spread, to the point that the average human is exposed to 80-100 thousand chemicals in one life time, only 2% of which have been tested. However, the decision is yours. Do you wish to play Russian roulette with your health and that of your kids? Let me know.

Andray

Sources:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov

http://www.plasticsinfo.org

http://www.bisphenol-a.org/index.html

Cortisol vs. YOU

It’s that hour of the day again, lunch. You’ve spent the entire morning watching the clock and checking face book for a new poke or two behind the bosses back. Panicking when footsteps thump down the corridor. Now it’s time to go for that run. Time to reverse the damage the weekend “war on indulgence” had caused.

You congratulate yourself as you jog on the treadmill, sweating profusely this is the first time you’ve actually stuck with an exercise routine for longer than 2 days. You come in everyday, bash the belt for a good 45 minutes, then return after work to partake in the deafening roar which is group exercise.

You return home after a long day at work, with the boss harassing you for his monthly finance report, and the gym. You step on the scale and it hasn’t budged a millimetre. You’re understandably disheartened.

“Why haven’t I lost weight?” you ask yourself.

The answer is no secret. It’s stress.

It’s been said time and time again. Don’t stress. However, it is scarcely discussed scientifically. Here I will provide YOU with the knowledge to know understand WHY this happens.

It all begins with your body. Evolved over millions of years, the human body has dealt with gruelling circumstances from the beginning of time. Lack of food, disease, war, security, financial stability and relationships are all stressors, which have survived the test of time. The most important of which, in this situation is lack of food.

Ever heard of the theory “energy in < energy out”?

What this basically means is, you should exercise more than you eat. This is often misleading in its effectiveness because surprisingly enough the less you eat the more stressed your body becomes. This is due to your bodies’ inability to know that you’re now living in the 21st century, where food is readily available. This wasn’t always the case. We once had to hunt for our food, which would mean not eating for days on end. When this occurs in the body an automatic response system beings to operate, very efficiently I might add, and your body begins to increase the amount of fat cells. This leads to increased fat storage for survival and later use. After all, who knows when you’ll catch your next boar?

The unfortunate fact about this “security” mechanism for women is that the female body has a far greater efficiency in storing fat, than the males. This is due to the natural cycle of life. Women are the givers of life, and therefore the future of the human race. Men matter less when it comes to survival of the species.

Andray