Prepubertal Man Boobs and Other Not Good Things
For the past eight years I have bought organic foods whenever possible, I’ve stopped dry-cleaning my clothes, resisted killing bugs with petrochemical-based pesticides, painted with zero-VOC house paints and avoided cleaning products made of dangerous chemicals that out-gas into the air in our home (that would pretty much be ALL of the standard well-known brands).
It’s not all that hard to do these things and after so many years, the extra cost of living with less chemicals is pretty much built into our bottom line, though it is, admittedly, more expensive
I do find it ironic, however, that many of the chemicals that were supposed to be our salvation are now found to be slow, silent killers and where we used to pay for the privilege of “easier, better and faster”, we now have to pay extra to get away from that stuff.
(Don’t even get me started on cosmetics, shampoos, soaps and other personal care items. They’re pretty much unregulated and could probably be made with arsenic and lye and still be within the confines of our pathetically weak laws. Grrr…)
Last night, as I was cleaning up the kitchen and gathering all our recycling stuff to take outside, I was struck by how much plastic stuff there is and it occurred to me that manufacturers give us very little choice in terms of packaging. I’d love to have less toxic plastic in our lives but so much of that stuff we use comes ONLY in plastic, regardless of the brand. And while makers claim this plastic or that plastic is safe, I’ve heard that too many times only to find out later that it’s not safe at all.
So I don’t trust any plastics and I don’t cook in them and almost never store food in them, opting instead for these awesome retro “refrigerator box” glass storage containers (microwave & freezer safe) from Anchor-Hocking and they’re very reasonably priced.
Screw Tupperware and Rubbermaid and the cheap plastic containers that house wonton soup when you order Chinese. I actually long for the days when everything came in glass containers. Yes, it was breakable but what is some broken glass compared to the host of cancers and diseases that have proven links to our chemical lifestyles? It’s nothing but a minor inconvenience when compared to going through chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Or dying.
I read this post yesterday by Cristina (it’s an absolute MUST READ) with whom I share many things in common, including a burning desire to shield our children from the toxic chemical soup that is modern life on planet Earth. While some of what was in Cristina’s post was not news to me, it was still disturbing to see all those ugly realities gathered up in one place. It riled up my deep, dark motherly fury at the fact that my kids live in a poisoned world and nobody, least of all our government, gives a sh!t.
As I noted in my comment to Cristina, in the US, you can go to jail for years (as in many) for marijuana but corporations can carelessly poison our kids and the planet and the government does nothing. In this respect, Europe is eons ahead of us. The EU often puts public and environmental safety ahead of corporate profits. Governing bodies that actually care about their citizens…what a novel concept.
I urge you to check out Healthy Child Healthy World and Environmental Working Group and become pro-active (if you’re not already) about staying informed and also letting our leaders know that we’re smarter than they think and we want better for our kids.
And finally, something I’ve been meaning to post about… You may want to stop using those lavender scented lotions and soaps on your kids, especially boys, as they have been linked to prepubertal gynomastia, meaning your boys can possibly grow breasts.
I know, it sounds crazy, but like many of the chemicals in everyday products that stimulate estrogen receptors (male sperm counts are down sharply in the past 50 years mostly likely due in some part to this), lavender, as well as tea tree oil, can suppress male hormones (androgens) and stimulate estrogen receptors which can feminize boys and I presume cause what’s known as precocious puberty (very, very early puberty) in girls.
You can read the news article here and check out a summary of the published study in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Thanks for staying with me through my morning ventiness. You, my friend, are a Rockstar Reader™ and at some point when I have more time, I intend to show you my gratitude for your being so awesomely awesome :)
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This is so scary. Seriously, toxins are everywhere you look- even where you are not looking. Its so overwhelming that its easier not to think about sometimes, until someone like you sends a very real reminder. Thanks.
&PS- are you pregnant? You can’t just dangle that out there like that :)
You know Izzy, I whole heartedly agree with you…
I also fear Bovine Growth Hormone and refuse to buy milk ( and all dairy- ice cream included) unless the makes has taken a No BGH pledge.
Same with organic eggs.
I think what is most frightening is that while the levels may test out as “acceptable” in adults ( and what does that mean really?) You have little bodies with organs that can not screen the same things out - as well as pieces and parts that are yet to be developed and growing.
Oh, and don’t get me started on the “anti-bacterial” hand soaps… That shit is fucking up our immune systems big time, killing all the good bacteria in our intestinal tracts/body systems.
And yeah. Go to jail forever for Pot. Pay a little fine for poisoning whole communities and generations. I mean, most of them are poor - right?
Gah.
I really love that you wrote this. I have very little knowledge about the plastic problems etc, and I love being able to read about it and gather information to possibly change the lives of myself and my children. I had cancer, and while I can’t necessarily blame it on chemicals and plastic, why wouldn’t I make changes to make my family more healthy? Even if it doesn’t necessarily wipe out cancer, it is a great first step. I know I read about a water bottle that is not plastic, but I have no idea where to find it…if you know, could you send me an email and let me know?
Fantastic post, Izzy! Some of these things (like the lavender) I didn’t know about. Thanks for informing us all.
I am so in your corner on this one. It’s a daily rant for me. I searched MS for those glass boxes and didn’t find them so if anyone finds a Canadian link or one with free/cheap shipping to Canada I’ll be all over it.
Um, my cupboards are full of tupperware and leftover egg drop soup containers. I use them for everything- storage, cooking, serving…………..
Could you tell me what I’m getting myself into? What is wrong with cheap plastic containers, health wise?
See, I want to do what you do. I want to know all about every day stuff that is dangerous, but I’m afraid. Because you are (I hope) going to tell me what is wrong with my cheapo glad tupperware. Then, not only do I have to get rid of it, but I have to freak out for months about what I did to myself and my WH while we were eating leftovers out of old butter tubs. Then I also have to find these glass thingys, and don’t get me started on food. Most of what I eat is probably killing me- the idea of knowing about all of it and changing is very, very overwhelming….
Now, though, if I don’t find out what is bad about butter tubs, I will worry myself sick over it. That’s just one of the many services I provide.
Please tell me about my butter tubs. Please.
This is one of those things where the more you know, the more appalled you are. It seems there are a lot of things like that involving the government. For me, it has been a slow change to switch over to organic foods…some I feel are more important they are organic than others. I also still use some plastic to store food in, but not to cook it. I like to save glass jars from things and re-use them as storage containers. It’s overwhelming to take everything on all at once, but I found to take it one step at a time it has been much more manageable to change.
Great post, I’m going to read that article in a minute. I have been getting rid of all our plastic containers, etc. I used to sell Tupperware long ago & have slowly been selling off my huge collection of it. I have totally stopped microwaving plastic & am trying to get everything in the kitchen back to glass. Thanks for the info on the Martha Stewart line, I didn’t know about it. I have been trying to get pyrex stuff. I’m glad there are some other alternatives. I agree on the Europe thing too, it would be nice to have a government that cares. I like the way you put that about the drugs, etc. I will have to use that. I am having a hard time convincing my husband & father of the dangers of plastics & toxins.
Hmm. I’m going to look for those glass containers. I have a thing for glass anyway - it’s more aesthetically pleasing than plastic.
As for the scented laundry detergent, my husband loves that garbage. I can’t stand it and since I’m the one who does the laundry, I get to pick the soap.
I recently found out that you can wash your hair with baking soda and you can use apple cider vinegar as a conditioner. I haven’t tried it yet, but baking soda and vinegar is a heck of a lot cheaper than even the cheapest shampoo.
Oh . Ew. Ah. Ack!
I agree, really, with everything. Glad you put this out there, I will check into the things I haven’t seen before, and now…a lot is explained (re. lavender).
Julie
Ravin’ Picture Maven
Great post.We try to only eat organic. I had no idea about tea tree oil and just bought some for my twelve year old son, yikes !
Thank you, thank you, for this post. I had always thought that the estrogen mimics were a threat for girls but not boys.
Good to know this.
Lavendar? Boy boobs?
This is wonderful post. Thank you for the information. Excess packaging drives me crazy!
Awesome post, Izzy. I was just looking at my lunch this morning and lamenting how much plastic it contained and how wasteful that is. it’s so overwhelming, especially when you’re low-income and your options are a) toxins or b) starvation.
yeah. i don’t like plastic. it scares me more and more everyday.
We’re already trying to get rid of plastic crap in our house, since I know plastics are so bad for the environment.
I also buy organic when I can (can’t afford to go to Whole Foods for everything), but especially for milk and meats. And I prefer to use safer cleaners when I can.
Thanks for getting the word out. I love a good Monday rant!
LOVE this post. I agree with you wholeheartedly on the plastic thing….I had been trying to find some decently priced glass containers as a replacement for all the rubbermaid crap. Thanks for that link, by the way, will surely be picking some of those up.
We, as well, have been trying to be as organic as possible these past 8 years. And really, it’s a little challenging. Both in price and supply.
In Boston we are very fortunate to have a news person that is a green fountain of information, and practically every newscast has more and more bad news about plastic. I stopped buying water bottles last summer because of the plastic warnings. I don’t use ziploc bags anymore (sob, I really miss those) and use WAX PAPER instead. Yes, it takes some getting used to, but it works. You just need to stock up on rubber bands!
There is so much that contains toxins, toxins that are linked to autism, cancer, hormone deficiencies, and even growth retardation. It scares me to death. We’re an organic family… trader joes for regular food, organic veggies from the farm stand our town owns (3 years ago our town bought the only working farm in the entire town, and now run it as an organic farm with interships for high school students and a farm stand. Plus they provide all the produce for the food pantry in town.), and fruits from a reliable organic grower that sells to our farmers market (all organic, all local, all delish).
I think people are waking up. In New England there isn’t one milk supplier that uses growth hormones. We get most of our dairy from Vermont, and most of it is organic. I see that the bottled water industry is hurting this year, what with the disclosures that most of it is tap water anyhow.
I wish more stuff came in glass packages, or in cardboard containers. I don’t like the plastic containers that everything seems to be packaged in. We don’t buy any of the bottled drinks in plastic. We don’t use plastic tableware. I just wish more people were outraged and would make the big farm conglamorates listen. But until congress can grow a pair and vote in a REAL farm bill, I don’t think thats’ gonna happen, unfortunately.
Great post, Izzy!
I certainly don’t want to defend the industry’s use of plastics, but I did want to point out that a lot of the scare stories are not true. Please check out these article from Johns Hopkins about this:
http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/articles/halden_plastics.html
http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/articles/halden_dioxins.html
Which European government?
Yep. I regularly used the Johnson and Johnson lavender lotion on my baby boy. Don’t they have a research department????
And we eat organic, which is insanely expensive. A gallon of organic milk where I live nears $7 a gallon. Wild salmon, free-range chicken, whole grains and basically anything non-toxic or wasteful is really out there price-wise. It’s horrible.
Great post; thank you.
Your blog is going on my must read list.
are there any, ahem, prizes involved in being a Rockstar Reader, perchance?
cuz if so, count me in on that shit. heh.
Izzy, you rock!
Other people abhor plastic, too? ~~~happy dance~~~
I thought it was just me. Don’t get me started on Teflon.
That’s the way people cook food for their kids everyday. Yikes.
Teflon to cook on, then food is put on a hot plastic plate (polymers leach into the food) and then the leftovers get coated in more plastic. It’s really bad for the kids.
Has anyone noticed the eye rolls we get when we try to warn people? So many people just don’t want to know! It’s a shame.
The EU, actually. I should have clarified.
I read the links you posted and I don’t really see anything in them that refutes any studies where plastics containing BPAs have been proven harmful.
All it really says is there’s no dioxin in plastic which I already knew and that people should follow manufacturers instructions when heating plastics because they can leach chemicals into food, which I also already knew.
The concern I was referring to was BPA’s aka bisphenols, which are widely accepted as being a threat to human health, particularly to children.
Incidentally, this is a very old but still relative study done by Columbia University College of Physician & Surgeons in1955 on soft plastics like Saran wrap, which were referenced in the Johns Hopkins articles you provided.
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/15/5/333
I don’t mean to be snarky but have the scare tactics been going on since 1955? And what is the motivation?
Bravo, bravo and ditto.
And? I await your gratitude. Will there be cookies?
Oddly, I have also hard some eveidence about soy containing some estrogen or estrogen stimulators, too. And yes, puberty has become earlier in our girls. I’m not one who has gone all organic and everything, but I do like to stick to simple soaps, cotton fibres, etc. for my girl.
Okay, I’m officially freaked out. Which is probably a good thing, as I live in a cocoon and have very little idea what is REALLY going on.
The lavender thing…holy crap. Going right now to throw it out. Also rethinking my need to start buying organic milk.
Very, very scary stuff. I get so angry whenever I hear about another recall, about the ‘living’ conditions for food animals, about the chemicals in our food and in everything else. I think that we as a society have gotten so off track. We want cheap and easy food, but will spend $400 on a handbag. I’ll shut up now, b/c I could go on and on and on.
You are a rockstar.
This post made me very happy in a “right on sister” kind of way.
Can we swap bras now?
Plastic is just the tip of the iceberg. (Actually, I might have said that about the melamine in pet food.) Most of us are totally ignorant about the chemicals in the food we eat, the products we smear on ourselves (lipstick? hello.), and the toxins we dump on our lawns and gardens that seep into ground water and run off into rivers and lakes.
Posts like yours create awareness. We need to get a clue and act. Thank you!
It’s great to read entries like this - we are vigilant regarding these issues in our home as well. Thanks for the links.
Izzy–I’m a first time reader, I followed a link from another blog. Excellent post!! I have heard the lavendar information before and am floored! We switched to organic milk when our daughter was born. Just this week my girlfriends and I were discussing the plastic and BPAs in baby bottles.
This post has encouraged me to take the non-plastic approach one step further. I liked the comment about wax paper and rubber bands. I’m also anti-microwave oven. I will hate giving up my Teflon…but fear that it just might be necessary, since I’ve read over and over the toxins involved.
I will be sending the link to your site to ALL my friends today.
Keep up the great work. I will check out all of the links you have provided.
We have to stick together. Big Gov’t certainly isn’t going to look after us. We have to keep talking and get the message out. People keep saying “If it was really bad, people would be talking about it.” HELLO–people ARE talking about it.
And vaccinations we’re pumping into our newborn babies!! Makes me scream!
Thank you Izzy!
I wish there was an easy solution to this. But so many of the large corporations causing these problems are the ones with lobbyists lining the pockets of Congressional members.
It’s scary when you think about the future, for sure.
Ack! I have a lot of links to follow. My son loves lavendar. Eek.
I love those refrigerator boxes. My family had them when I was little. I think I may have to get me some.
We’ve been buying organic milk since the kids went off the boob and try to buy organic fruits and vegetables–especially the ones where pesticides are most evident in the non-organic varieties.
Nonetheless, when I find out about all of this stuff, I get so overwhelmed I want to crawl under a giant organic boulder and cry.
One more thing:
Sadly, I had a friend who worked at a popular, Florida based organic and vegan cosmetics company. The chemist confided in her that oftentimes, the ingredients they used in their vegan products were not soluble in vegetable proteins, so animal proteins were used instead. Furthermore, the owner of the company would simply mix new concoctions with ingredients like glycolic acids and send them home with the employees to try in lieu of testing. One of their most popular mineral water pump sprays is actually just repackaged Perrier! I have seen products from this company in several high-end whole markets and shopping mall nutrition stores. Unfortunately, I don’t want to be responsible for libel by blurting out who they are, since my friend worked for the company over 10 years ago and the info is hearsay. If a lawyer tells me it’s okay, I’ll blab. gladly.
My point is, there definitely needs to be something done about it. Simply getting the word out to our friends and family about the real dangers will help get the ball rolling, so of course, kudos to you, Izzy, and all the others who make this knowledge public in a more prominent venue than these manufacturers would prefer. It’s time these industries started to answer to the consumer and not the government. The government will just end up spending twice as much, employee power and money on approving new products instead of policing and correcting the problems. Just take a look at the FDA and pharmaceuticals.
Being a smart consumer is going to make these companies take responsibility or lose their market share. I can’t wait to see the sales drop on baby wash, lavendar scented products, and plastic storage containers.
The optimistic, free enterprise person in me would like to think we can prevail by making our voices heard and keeping our wallets shut.
Okay, that wasn’t actually “one more” thing, but I was feeling particularly venty and I don’t have my own blog.
Just today my co-worker gave me a satchel of lavendar for the new baby. She said it helps babies sleep. Since I’m having a boy, I think I’ll pass on it now. Thanks for the info!
And thanks for the linky love too :)
Wonderful post! You may want to check this out if you don’t know it already. http://www.idealbite.com/
I am totally throwing out the lavendar shampoo I just bought my son. With a mom like me, the last thing he needs to deal with are man boobs!
Hhmmmmm… do you think that the lavender lotion will help me get back my pre-kid breast size? Or get rid of my moustache? Then bring it on, I’ll take 12 of them. ;)
A vastly more enlightened Rockstar Reader. I endeavor to do some of these same things, the high cost I think is measured in ridicule from folks like my mother-in-law. I love how those of us trying to protect our kids are singled out as fringe zealots. In this case I relish my membership in a minority group. Thanks Iz.
Great post. Izzy. This topic is very important to me. I’ve been taking steps (since before pregnancy but more urgently since then) to create a safer, more environmentally healthy home. These changes are still getting absorbed into our bottom line, hence the slower-than-I-would-like pace.
One of the things I do, which is very valuable, I think, is using essential oils in place of chemicals. I’ve studied aromatherapy for a few years (but am far from expert), and I have learned to use products like thyme and pine needle and cedarwood in place of cleaning agents. It takes work and effort, but hey, my government’s not doing shit to protect me, so it’s up to me.
But, I really didn’t know about the lavender and tea tree thing - thank you for posting that. Must go return the bottle of Target-brand bedtime baby wash now!
Lavendar, one of my faves and yet not so much anymore after that very thing happened to my close friends two daughters. I now shield my kid from that stuff - in so many healthy organic products too. Thank you for posting on that!
And now my husband is goign to Lysol a cricket…. I try….
Thanks for the information about those lotions and soaps. We certainly don’t want our boys to grow breasts, especially when they are already in school.
Great Post. Now I have something else to educate myself on. I have been devouring information on all of the toxins found in food, plus the lack of nutrition. It’s amazing how corporate America uses us as experiments. All of the growth hormones used in animals is criminal when you see how it is linked to Americas crappy health. Even though when you visit the produce isle in your grocery store, everything looks beautiful and yummy, the reality is it is toxic, and very low in nutritional value. And most of it is not even grown in America anymore. And when you start researching the use of genetically altered seeds for fruits, vegetables, berries and nuts, it will make you sick.
Anyway, now I have to start researching all of the points you brought up in your post. It’s crazy that the more you know, the more there is to know. You would thing Americans would be up in arms about being used in this way.
Thanks for your great contributions journalling all of these things…………. and I love your writing style :)
Information on Health and Nutrition
Those man boobs are probably the worst personality problem our boys can get.
Thanks for sharing. It’s good to know about the facts behind it.
Depressing.
I agree with plastic. It’s better if we stick with paper bags, especially on groceries since most of it came there. If we want to get rid of it, the best thing we can do is to stop having them.
I’m seriously about to cry, or scream, or just give up. Or move. But none of those things would really help.
I am SO on board with these values, and I have been since before they were popular. But there are just SO MANY catagories. Just when you decide to start making your own bread because you find out what’s in store bought bread, you learn about shampoo. Just when you find a different shampoo, you realize how much plastic is in the house, and how poisonous cotton t-shirts are to the world. @#$@#%@#$@#.
What’s a mom with very little time and extra money to do?
I agree this stuff is all very frightening and it further proves how important it is to be an informed consumer. Based on your post, I’d be interested to know your thoughts on immunization, a topic that’s been on my mind (and in my blog) lately.
Let me just add that they (the medical profession) are probably trying to compensate for the discounts all of the insurance companies strong arm them into. All I’m sayin’ is leave me out of it. There should be a BONUS discount for not having insurance!!!
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