Bisphenol A: Toxic chemical

Couple weeks back, as I still recall, i walked into my office, first thing i noticed, one of my co-workers, a guy, was waiting for his food to be ready. Guess what? He was heating up his food in a typical plastic tupperware inside the microwave. Obviously he doesn't know what will happen to his food once he eats it. 

Now, let me tell you what will happen when you microwave your food in a plastic tupperwave, especially the 'normal' bisphenol A grade. Imagine, your meal consists of vegetables filled with pesticides,  chicken meat injected with growth hormones, antibiotics and fed with grains which are grown on pesticides contaminated soil. When you mixed these food sources together in bisphenol A grade plastic container, and when you heat them up with microwave, you are creating a new breed of pesticides unknown to mankind! Congratulation, you are creating your own pesticides factory in a single meal. With varieties of pesticides and loads of estrogen hormones from the bisphenol A container, you are assaulting your endocrine system with that single serving. 

Well, most people either don't bother, or not aware of this chemical reaction. Now, let me tell you a couple of things about this toxic chemical, named Bisphenol A. It is a common chemical substance found in most plastic containers including tupperwares, baby bottles, microwavable plates, pacifiers, baby toys, water bottles, etc. Some of you might have heard of it, but most people are not aware of this toxic chemical. 

BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which means it mimics your body‘s natural hormones and can trigger major changes in your body. This toxic chemical first caught researchers’ attention after normal mice began to display uncommon genetic abnormalities. The defects were linked to plastic cages and water bottles that had been cleaned with a harsh detergent, causing BPA to leach out of the plastic. After determining how much BPA the mice had been exposed to, the researchers realized even an extremely small dose of 20 parts per billion daily, for just five to seven days, was enough to produce effects.

This can lead to chromosomal errors in the developing fetus, which can cause spontaneous miscarriages and genetic damage. And being exposed to a super tiny amount of BPA is enough to disrupt the effect of estrogen in a baby's developing brain. For this reason, women of childbearing age and those who are pregnant should be especially diligent at avoiding BPA, but practically no one is immune. 

Research has linked this chemical with various health conditions as below: 

•  Structural damage to your brain
•  Hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, and impaired learning
•  Increased fat formation and risk of obesity
•  Altered immune function
•  Early puberty, stimulation of mammary gland development, disrupted reproductive cycles, and ovarian dysfunction
•  Changes in gender specific behavior, and abnormal sexual behavior
•  Increased prostate size, and decreased sperm production
•  Diabetes
•  Heart disease
•  Liver damage 

The problem with BPA is that it doesn’t stay put in the plastic. It leeches into whatever food or beverage you put in a plastic container, plastic-lined can, or plastic baby bottle. And if you microwave the containers or bottles, or put hot liquids or foods into them, the BPA leaches into your food or drink 55 times faster than when used cold! Even putting plastic containers in the dishwasher or washing them with harsh detergents increases the amount of BPA that leaches into your food, as does using scratched or worn out plastic containers or letting your food or beverage sit in the container for too long.

Meanwhile, there are also ways you can protect yourself and your families by following below tips: 

• Only use glass baby bottles and dishes for your baby.
• Get rid of your plastic dishes and cups, and replace them with glass alternatives.
• Give your baby natural fabric toys instead of plastic ones, and only BPA-free pacifiers and teethers.
• Store your food and beverages in glass and NOT plastic containers. Glass is the safest and most inert way to store your water and food, and is far better than any plastic. 
• If you choose to use a microwave, don't microwave food in a plastic container.
• Use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel travel coffee mugs rather than plastic or styrofoam coffee cups.
• Avoid using plastic wrap, and never microwave anything covered in it.
• If you opt to use plastic kitchenware, at least get rid of the older, scratched up varieties, avoid putting them in the dishwasher, and don't wash them with harsh detergents, as these things can cause more BPA to leach into your food.
• Avoid using bottled water, especially when exposed to sunlight. Filter your own using a high quality filter instead.
• Avoid using canned foods, including soda cans as the linings often contain BPA. If you do eat canned foods, choose only those that come in BPA-free cans.