Posted on by Trisha · 2 Comments

Would you feed your baby rocket fuel?

You may be feeding your baby rocket fuel and not know it. baby-bottle
 
The CDC has tested several samples of infant formula and found traces of perchlorate, a chemical used in rocket fuel.  If the powdered formula was also mixed with water also contaminated with perchlorate, it could exceed levels considered safe for adults.
 
“No tests have ever shown the chemical caused health problems, but scientists have said significant amounts of perchlorate can affect thyroid function. The thyroid helps set the body’s metabolism. Thyroid problems can impact fetal and infant brain development.”
 
The brands of formula tested were not released.
 
Earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it was considering setting new limits on the amount of perchlorate that would be acceptable in drinking water. A few states have already set their own limits.

The EPA has checked nearly 4,000 public water supplies serving 10,000 people or more. About 160 of the water systems had detectable levels of perchlorate, and 31 had levels high enough to exceed a new safety level the EPA is considering.

This is just really sad. I breastfeed, so I don’t have to worry about the formula contamination, but I have friends who formula feed, and this is a stress they don’t need on their plate. I do worry about the water contamination. I don’t really want to be drinking rocket fuel, even if at a “safe” level. Just like I
 
What can you do?
– Don’t freak out and don’t stop giving your baby formula
– Breastfeed if you can
– Since the brands tested were not disclosed, choosing a different formula is not helpful (and you should consult your pediatrician before doing so in any case).
– Install a water filtration system capable of removing perchlorate for use of mixing with formula (and drinking of course!)
– If you do a little homework, you can probably find bottled water that has used one of the above methods. But note: Not all bottled water is the same! Several manufacturers simply bottle filtered tap water. Know what you are buying.
– Since the food we eat could be irrigated with water contaminated with perchlorate, buy produce from areas that do not use contaminated water to irrigate.
Check this table for areas contaminated with perchlorate 
And a map from the EPA
And sites known to manufacturer or use perchlorate
– And write letters – write letters to your congressmen, formula manufacturers, the FDA, the president – anyone who could have influence. Let them know rocket fuel in formula and in drinking water is not acceptable.

Source: FoxNews

Related Articles
Chemicals that could contaminate infant formula
Quality of bottled water questioned
EPA ignores toxic threat in drinking water: rocket fuel
BPA Free bottles, sippies, food storage and more

Posted on by Trisha

FDA finds melamine in popular US infant formulas

And looks like they have been trying to keep this quiet. Melamine has been detected in many popular infant formulas.

The FDA is contradicting themselves saying now that the melamine levels detected are “safe,” though last month the agency stated it was unable to identify any melamine exposure level as safe for infants.

Melamine is the chemical that was recently found in Chinese infant formula, which killed 4 infants and sickened over 50,000. The FDA is saying parents should not find alternatives to formula, however, some brands tested at lower levels than others, so I say parents should determine what is best for their child. And when changing diet, it’s best to contact your pediatrician before making changes.

Here is an excerpt from the article on some of the findings:

According to FDA data for tests of 77 infant formula samples, a trace concentration of melamine was detected in one product — Mead Johnson’s Infant Formula Powder, Enfamil LIPIL with Iron. An FDA spreadsheet shows two tests were conducted on the Enfamil, with readings of 0.137 and 0.14 parts per million.

Three tests of Nestle‘s Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron detected an average of 0.247 parts per million of cyanuric acid, a melamine byproduct.

The FDA said last month that the toxicity of cyanuric acid is under study, but that meanwhile it is “prudent” to assume that its potency is equal to that of melamine.

And while the FDA said tests of 18 samples of formula made by Abbott Laboratories, including its Similac brand, did not detect melamine, spokesman Colin McBean said some company tests did find the chemical. He did not identify the specific product or the number of positive tests.

Read the entire press release here.

Breastfeeding is the perferred way to feed a child and is increasingly becoming more popular thanks to better information on the advantages of breastfeeding reaching expecting parents. However in some cases, breastfeeding is just not possible, if if the desire to is there. In that situation, parents must consider donor milk or formula. And don’t babies deserve a safe formula free of chemicals and other toxins?

What you can do:

Contact your congressmen and let them know this is not acceptable.

Write the FDA.

Sign a petition, such as this one.

Related Articles
Chinese milk scandal widens
Is melamine safe?
Nursing is more than breastfeeding
Breastmilk cures

Posted on by Trisha

Flavor of breastmilk may influence child eating habits

Any breastfeeding mother will tell you that her diet can definitely affect her milk, but this takes a step beyond that saying the varying flavor of breastmilk can influence the child’s eating habits when he starts eating solid foods. The study suggests that breastfed babies are used to a variety of flavors and are more willing to accept new foods than a formula fed baby. Formula is very bland and the flavor never changes, so a formula fed baby may not be as willing to give a new food much of a chance.

I can definitely see this with my daughter who breastfed until she was 2. She still nurses occasionally. My daughter eats pretty much anything, especially hummus, lima beans, Mexican food, broccoli, and jambalaya. She also will eat salsa and likes spicier foods. I will say that I ate a lot of all these foods when I was pregnant and nursing. Other moms I talk to (who I know formula fed) are in envy of the variety of foods she will eat.

Now of course, this is not an exact science. There will be breastfed babies who are picky eaters and formula fed ones who will eat absolutely anything you put in front of them. But for sure the flavor of breastmilk definitely changes, and that is something that is only beneficial. More research would need to be done to get a better idea of the extent breastmilk can influence a child’s eating habits later in life. And as more mother’s are making the decision to breastfeed, that could help encourage better eating habits and lower the rates of childhood obesity.

Read the entire article here.

Posted on by Trisha

Estrogen Mimicry of Bisphenol-A Threatens Human and Animal Health

Very interesting. This article is stating that BPA found in canned foods, baby bottles, plastic containers and wrap, etc. could be a factor in obesity and other health problems, such as diabetes and ADD/ADAH. 

(NaturalNews) Bisphenol-A could be making us fatter. Diet and too little exercise are the main culprits of what has been called the obesity epidemic, but the hormone mimicker bisphenol-A might be tipping the scales, so to speak.

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is mainly found in polycarbonate plastic, which is labeled with the number 7; in plastic food wrap, and in the resins that coat the inside of metal cans for food. It is so prevalent in today’s products that it is even in refrigerator shelving, water bottles, plastic food storage containers, water pipes and flooring.

BPA is an endocrine disrupter that mimics the hormone estrogen. Studies have shown harmful biological effects on animals using low-doses of the chemical and harmful effects on humans have been observed outside of studies. Hormone disrupting effects have been shown to occur at levels of application as low as 2-5 pars per billion and many canned foods are within and over this range. [1] With such a low level of toxicity, it’s easy to see how even a minuscule rate of bisphenol-A (BPA) leakage from plastics disturbs many people. The damaging effects of the chemical include impairment and unnatural changes to sex organs and their functions, increased tumor formation, hyperactivity, neurotoxin effects, and signs of early puberty have been observed. Clearly, BPA’s toxic effects are diverse.

A recent study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered that about 93% of the United States population have bisphenol-A in their body at a median concentration of 2.7 ppb. [2]

Read the entire article.

Related Articles:

  • “Cheat sheet” of BPA-free sippy cups and bottles
  • Pregnant women told to avoid BPA
  • Today Show report on BPA & plastic safety
  • BPA may lead to health problems such as obesity and ADD/ADHD
  • Whole Foods private label canned food contain BPA
  • Canned foods and BPA
  • BPA is found in infant formula
  • Gerber baby food containers
  • BPA and other plastic safety
  • Z Recommends: The Z Report on BPA In Infant Care Products, Third Edition
  • Environmental Working Group: Guide to Baby Safe Bottles & Formula
  • Environmental Working Groups Report on BPA in Baby Formula
  • Breastmilk contains stem cells
  • Breastmilk cures
  • Can breastmilk cure cancer?
    • Posted on by Trisha

    Plastics additive raises safety fears

    Plastics additive raises safety fears
    By Wade Rawlins
    McClatchey Newspapers

    The plastic additive is leaching from your water bottles, soda cans, baby bottles, microwaveable dishes — just about anything made of certain lightweight clear plastics.

    And it mimics the hormone estrogen, which some research indicates could harm human health, particularly the development of fetuses and newborn babies.

    Known as BPA, bisphenol-A has been used in commercial production of lightweight plastics and epoxy resins since the 1950s. Billions of pounds are produced annually. Traces of it are found in almost everyone — including the umbilical cord blood of newborn babies.

    Although the chemical industry contends that the weight of scientific evidence on bisphenol-A doesn’t support claims of harm, the chemical remains controversial. Studies flagging the compound’s possible health threat to humans have made people nervous about the plastics they use every day to serve and store food.

    “There is a cause for concern,” said Gerald LeBlanc, chairman of the department of environmental and molecular toxicology at N.C. State.

    “It’s not something we should be sweeping under the rug.”

    Read the entire article.

    Related Articles:

  • “Cheat sheet” of BPA-free sippy cups and bottles
  • Pregnant women told to avoid BPA
  • Today Show report on BPA & plastic safety
  • BPA may lead to health problems such as obesity and ADD/ADHD
  • Whole Foods private label canned food contain BPA
  • Canned foods and BPA
  • BPA is found in infant formula
  • Gerber baby food containers
  • BPA and other plastic safety
  • Z Recommends: The Z Report on BPA In Infant Care Products, Third Edition
  • Environmental Working Group: Guide to Baby Safe Bottles & Formula
  • Environmental Working Groups Report on BPA in Baby Formula
  • Breastmilk contains stem cells
  • Breastmilk cures
  • Can breastmilk cure cancer?
    • Posted on by Trisha

    The BPA debate continues — Is BPA safe or not?

    This topic has been a hot one in the last few months. I saw this article today and though it is not much clearer if BPA is harmful or not, it does seem to make a few pretty clear points.

    First let’s back up. BPA is bisphenol A, a chemical found in polycarbonate plastics, the hard, clear plastics (labeled #7) used to make items like baby bottles and sippy cups, and also lines many metal food and infant formula cans. BPA is known to mimic the female hormone estrogen.

    The article is long, though a good one at telling both sides. It is notable that most independent/government studies have shown adverse affects and industry tests have not. Who stands to lose something – the industry right? They would have to come up with alternatives if they found BPA to be harmful. Industry research does not hold much water with me.

    The article does conclude though that BPA seems to do more harm in small quantities because hormones are released in small quantities, so the body responds accordingly. It also states that BPA appears to do the most harm during critical development times – during fetal development and during the first year of life. These small amounts affect organ development and may increase susceptibility to the development of cancer in some organs.

    It also states :
    “Early life exposure to environmentally relevant BPA doses may result in persistent adverse effects in humans.”
    and
    “The function of the immune system can be altered following adult exposure to BPA.”
    So, while there is still no clear cut answer on the effects in humans (these tests were done on lab rats), scientists certainly see a need for further studies, especially during critical development periods.

    The NDP in Canada also has called for a ban on BPA in children’s food and beverage containers. California has explored a ban as well.

    Because studies do show harm and the harm was found after the subjects were given a low-dose of BPA, I am going to continue to avoid it. There are safer bottles, sippy cups and fresh food instead of canned food. And since I breastfeed my 22 month old and hope to become pregnant soon, I will certainly ensure I avoid BPA myself. Honestly, it is not hard to do since safer alternatives are available, so it has not been an inconvenience. Even if it were, the extra steps are worth protecting the health of my family.

    Related Articles:

  • “Cheat sheet” of BPA-free sippy cups and bottles
  • Pregnant women told to avoid BPA
  • Today Show report on BPA & plastic safety
  • BPA may lead to health problems such as obesity and ADD/ADHD
  • Whole Foods private label canned food contain BPA
  • Canned foods and BPA
  • BPA is found in infant formula
  • Gerber baby food containers
  • BPA and other plastic safety
  • Z Recommends: The Z Report on BPA In Infant Care Products, Third Edition
  • Environmental Working Group: Guide to Baby Safe Bottles & Formula
  • Environmental Working Groups Report on BPA in Baby Formula
  • Breastmilk contains stem cells
  • Breastmilk cures
  • Can breastmilk cure cancer?
    • Posted on by Trisha · 5 Comments

    BPA in Infant Formula

    Bisphenol-A (BPA) has also been found in the lining of many metal cans of infant formula. Risk is highest in those containing liquid formula. Powdered varieties are still at risk, but to a much lesser degree.

    The best way to avoid BPA in formula and baby bottles is to breastfeed. Everyone knows the benefits of breastfeeding. But if you chose not to breastfeed, it’s best to steer clear of liquid formula.

    The Environmental Working Group has a good article on this subject. If you must formula feed, there are some good tips to help reduce your baby’s exposure to BPA. If you are not sure if the product you are using contains BPA, call the manufacturer and demand an answer. The only answer you should accept is a “yes” or “no.” If you get a yes, stop using the product immediately and let them know you are doing so until they make a product that is BPA-free.

    Parents need to wake up and take serious note of what products they are using with their children. You CANNOT believe manufacturers are looking out for your baby’s best interest, because they are not. They are looking to make a dollar, and that’s it. Parents need to speak up and say we are not going to take this. Demand changes. Choose safer products.

    Related Articles:

  • “Cheat sheet” of BPA-free sippy cups and bottles
  • Pregnant women told to avoid BPA
  • Today Show report on BPA & plastic safety
  • BPA may lead to health problems such as obesity and ADD/ADHD
  • Whole Foods private label canned food contain BPA
  • Canned foods and BPA
  • BPA is found in infant formula
  • Gerber baby food containers
  • BPA and other plastic safety
  • Z Recommends: The Z Report on BPA In Infant Care Products, Third Edition
  • Environmental Working Group: Guide to Baby Safe Bottles & Formula
  • Environmental Working Groups Report on BPA in Baby Formula
  • Breastmilk contains stem cells
  • Breastmilk cures
  • Can breastmilk cure cancer?