Avoiding everyday risks
The truth is, it’s impossible to avoid all the things suspected of increasing breast cancer risk. It can seem overwhelming even to try.
Inconvenient Women can focus on a few steps that can mean a big payoff; and for the skeptics and naysayers at least they couldn’t hurt.
- limit exposure to chlorine by filtering drinking and cooking water and using non-chlorinated paper
- eat organic food
- don’t use pesticides in your garden
- avoid radiation — sit at arm’s length from your computer
- use cell phone for short periods of time.
Here are some other products and substances that some scientists suspect may raise risk—and some simple options for minimizing your exposure.
Phthalates
These plastic softeners can disrupt hormones, some by mimicking estrogen, which is linked to breast cancer risk. They are widespread in personal care products like cosmetics, moisturizers, and perfumes, and can also be found in flavorings, processed food, and even infant chew toys.
Other options: Unfortunately, phthalates aren’t always listed on ingredient labels. Aveda, the Body Shop, and Neways make phthalate-free personal care products, though, and other companies are expected to follow suit. You’ll find listings of products made with and without phthalates at http://www.nottoopretty.org/goodbad.htm.
Radiation
Ionizing radiation is the one certain cause of breast cancer. CT scans and X-rays—including mammograms—all contribute to your lifetime exposure. (So far, however, the weight of evidence suggests that mammograms do more good than harm.) It’s less clear whether the radiation emitted by electronic tools such as computers, cell phones, and electric blankets poses a danger.
Other options: When getting an X-ray or other procedure, always ask whether it’s really necessary, and request a lead apron to cover parts of your body not being checked.
Bisphenol-A
An ingredient in many plastic food containers and metal food can liners, bisphenol-A alters mammary gland development in mice, causing changes that are linked to breast cancer. An estrogen mimic, it interacts with the same pathways as the natural hormone.
Other options: This chemical is hard to avoid completely, but you can limit your exposure by not heating plastic containers in the microwave, not drinking water from plastic bottles that have heated up in the sun, and opting for glass whenever possible.
Chlorinated Products
Members of the chemical family of organochlorines accumulate in human fatty tissue and are known to disrupt the endocrine system. It’s not clear, however, whether they raise breast cancer risk. The group includes dioxin and the now-banned PCBs and DDT, as well as chemicals still used commonly in spray paints, bleach, household cleaning products, and pesticides; chlorine itself is often present in tap water.
Other options: To remove chlorine from your water, use an activated carbon filter. You can also buy chlorine-free coffee filters, facial tissue, and paper towels. If you want to switch to nontoxic household cleaners, some good ones include Lifetree Home Soap and Ecover’s Natural All-Purpose Cleaner; Bon Ami makes a chlorine-free scouring powder. Many other green household products can be found in the healthy living section of http://www.care2.com.
Pesticides
In your own home and garden, avoid using chemicals—particularly simazine, an herbicide that’s been linked to mammary cancer in animals. Skip the insecticides, too: They contain estrogenic ingredients such as methoxychlor, endosulfan, and lindane.
Other options: When you can, buy organic produce. Indoors, consider using boric acid, flypaper, and other lower-tech solutions to control pests. Plenty of nontoxic garden products are available; for more info, check http://www.govlink.org/hazwaste/house/yard or the healthy living section of http://www.care2.com.
PVC
This plastic, a.k.a. polyvinyl chloride, is found in appliances, toys, rainwear, food packaging (in particular the cling wrap used in grocery stores and delis, and some bottles of cooking oil). It contains cadmium and lead as well as phthalates and, when burned, releases dioxin into the environment.
Other options: Check the labels on the bottom of containers and bottles; any plastic with the recycling label 3 is PVC. You can remove the plastic from store-bought cheeses and meats and rewrap them in waxed paper. Transfer oil from plastic bottles into glass ones.
Hormones
It’s increasingly clear that some forms of hormone replacement therapy increase breast cancer risk. In the Women’s Health Initiative study of combined estrogen/progestin therapy, women’s risk for breast cancer increased by one quarter after an average of five years of use. The jury on birth control pills is still out.
Other options: Researchers suggest women talk with their doctors about whether a lower-dose version of the birth control pill would work for them.
Part 6: Does Our Toxic World Cause Breast Cancer? continues in October 9, 2006 Inconvenient Woman Blog
