Thanks to BPA and other chemicals the new age of puberty for girls is 10

Girls as young as 7 years old are now beginning to develop breasts and undergo other body changes that their mothers had not experienced until years later. The prime culprit for this new phenomena is bisphenol A, better known as simply BPA. BPA is a colorless solid…

Sulfur in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may hold the key to healing genetic diseases

Our mothers were right. Broccoli is good for us, but possibly in ways our mothers never knew. Health practitioners and fitness experts around the world have heralded the benefits of broccoli for decades. Scientists have long demonstrated the antioxidant properties of…

BPA exposure before birth linked to breast cancer

(NaturalNews) To many people interested in healthy living, the term BPA is nothing new. It stands for bisphenol A, an industrial chemical used in many hard plastic bottles and metal-based food and beverage cans since the 1960s. A known hormone disruptor, BPA is hard to avoid. But once you learn about its dangers, you know why it’s worth the effort to look for BPA-free products. For example, NaturalNews has carried story after story about evidence that links BPA to all sorts of serious health problems from cancer, kidney and developmental problems to heart disease and diabetes (http://www.naturalnews.com/024207_BPA_health_plastics.html#ixzz1ZfCMqUyV). Now there’s breaking research news showing how BPA could be doing harm inside the bodies of babies even before they are born. Another modern day plague is also associated with prenatal BPA exposure — breast cancer. A recent study conducted by scientists at the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research found that exposure in the womb to the kinds of BPA doses that are widespread in the environment alters long-term hormone response in females. The study, which is set for publication in Molecular Endocrinology , a journal of the Endocrine Society, shows BPA can cause dangerous changes in breast development that increase the odds of developing cancer. The scientists pointed out in a media statement that although their BPA study used animals, it mimicked the exposure humans typically have to the compound as it leaches from BPA-containing plastics, such as beverage bottles, and the lining of tin cans. The research team added the chemical to the drinking water of breeding mice. Then, after weaning, the female mice from BPA-drinking parents were moved to a BPA-free environment and followed over time. The researchers analyzed changes in the mammary glands of female offspring exposed to BPA through their mothers both before birth and while being breast fed and discovered BPA exposed females showed an increased response to the hormone progesterone. This is a crucial point because lifetime exposure to progesterone is associated with an increased risk for breast cancer. What’s more, the researchers found that adult females who had been exposed to BPA while in the womb and breast fed had a 1.5 fold increase in cell numbers in their milk ducts. They may not sound like such a big deal but consider this: it is comparable to what’s seen with similar exposure to diethyllbestrol (DES), another estrogenic compound. And DES, widely prescribed by mainstream doctors to millions of pregnant U.S. women for over 30 years as a “safe” treatment to prevent miscarriages, was eventually found to cause horrific health problems in later life to the children of those women. A lesson from the DES nightmare Although DES use was halted in l971, health problems continue to haunt, and sometimes kill, the children of the women who took the drug, including many who had no idea their mothers were given the dangerous “miscarriage treatment.” In general, women whose mothers took DES reached their young adulthood before problems started showing up — including the inability to have children due to a misshapen uterus and cancer. According to the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research scientists, DES in the human population has been shown to increase the relative risk of women developing breast cancer two-fold by the time they reach their fifties. BPA, unlike DES, is not a prescribed drug that can be taken off the market. It is already widespread and is now detected in body fluids of more than 90 percent of the human population — which means it could be putting far more people at risk for health problems than even the large numbers exposed to DES. Long known to have estrogen-like properties, many scientists have expressed concern exposure to BPA could have developmental effects on various hormone-responsive organs including the breasts. However, the FDA has continued to “study” the problem and do little to actually protect the public from BPA. In fact, the feds have been far more aggressive going after people selling unpasteurized milk than mega corporations manufacturing and selling BPA loaded products. The latest official statement from the US government this year noted that “On the basis of results from recent studies using novel approaches to test for subtle effects, both the National Toxicology Program at the National Institutes of Health and FDA have some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children. In cooperation with the National Toxicology Program, FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research is carrying out in-depth studies to answer key questions and clarify uncertainties about the risks of BPA.” That’s right. The FDA only has “some” concern and they are waiting on the completion of other studies before taking a meaningful stand on the safety of BPA — as if there were not already multiple studies completed by numerous scientists providing evidence that BPA is a clear and present risk to the human population. “While we cannot extrapolate these results directly from mice to humans, the possibility that some of the increase in breast cancer incidence observed over the past decades may be attributed to exposure to BPA cannot be dismissed,” Cathrin Brisken, MD, of the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research and co-author of the study, said in a statement to the media. “Our study suggests that pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should avoid exposure to BPA as it may affect their daughters breast tissue.” [Editor's Note: NaturalNews is strongly against the use of all forms of animal testing. We fully support implementation of humane medical experimentation that promotes the health and wellbeing of all living creatures.] Sources for this article include: http://mend.endojournals.org/ http://www.endo-society.org/ http://www.naturalnews.com/BPA.html http://www.naturalnews.com/024207_BPA_health_plastics.html http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/DES

Facebook group helps mothers share breast milk

(NaturalNews) Mothers who have a difficult time producing breast milk for their babies — or those who produce more than they need and want to share it with other mothers — can now make a connection through Facebook, thanks to the group “Eats On Feets.” The group, which states that it is “a network of online regional chapters that facilitates access to human milk for babies and children,” has 122 Facebook chapters representing locations around the world. Eats On Feets allows mothers to connect directly, permitting them to establish personal relationships with one another and avoid the anonymity associated with conventional milk banks. Mothers are free to exchange needed medical records and other verifications as they personally choose, but ultimately the program gives mothers the freedom to connect with one another and share their life-giving milk so those in need will not have to rely on unhealthy, nutrient-lacking formulas. “I think it’s a valuable thing for people to have who maybe have no supply of their own,” said Jocely Tremblay, a member of the Eats On Feets Massachusetts chapter, to CBS Boston. “I think a great thing about Facebook is that it’s very fast and very direct,” she added. Tremblay produces a surplus of breast milk that she currently shares with others. Baby formulas, despite the glowing way in which they are often marketed, hardly match the rich nutritional profile of real breast milk. And many formulas are laden with genetically-modified (GM) ingredients like soy protein isolate, and typically contain excesses of refined sugars like corn syrup solids and other processed ingredients, all of which are harmful to developing babies (http://www.naturalnews.com/029863_Similac_infant_formula.html). Having the freedom to establish personal relationships with other mothers and freely exchange life-giving food is an example of what living in the “land of the free” is all about. Skeptics may argue that the practice is risky, but any mother that knows about the benefits of breast milk and is willing to pursue either obtaining or sharing it with others is most likely going to responsibly participate in the program. As it currently operates, the program represents a beautiful balance between individual liberty and personal responsibility, without the need for government intervention. Sources for this story include: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/02/23/breastfeeding-mothers-share-milk-with-other-moms/

Metal hip replacements in pregnant women leach chromium and cobalt into babies

(NaturalNews) Between 200,000 and 300,000 hip replacement operations are performed each year in the U.S., mostly in people over the age of 60. However, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), five to 10% of these procedures are in patients younger than 50 — including women of childbearing age. Now comes a disturbing report that suggests women who have the metal-on-metal type of artificial hip joint and become pregnant could be putting their unborn babies at risk. A study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center recently presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons held in New Orleans revealed that expectant mothers with metal-on-metal hip implants pass metal ions to their offspring during pregnancy. The ions, it turns out, result from wear and tear as well as from corrosion as the parts of the artificial joint, called prosthesis, rub against one another. Dr. Joshua Jacobs, professor and chairman of orthopedic surgery at Rush University Medical Center, and his research team investigated three women who had metal-on-metal hip implants and gave birth two to six years after their surgeries. Blood samples from the mothers as well as umbilical cord blood samples were obtained at the time of delivery and tested for blood serum concentrations of titanium, nickel, cobalt and chromium. The researchers used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry , a highly sensitive technique that can detect even minute amounts of metals in biological samples. The results showed that the moms with metal-on-metal implants and their babies had significantly higher levels of two metals — chromium and cobalt — compared with a control group of seven women who did not have metal hip replacements and their offspring. In addition, the levels of the metals in the blood of mothers with implants correlated with the levels of metals identified in the umbilical cords. The amount of cobalt found in the newborn babies was about half that in the mothers’ blood; chromium was about 15 percent as high in the infants as the levels in their mothers’ blood. The lower levels in the umbilical cords showed that the placenta stopped at least some of the transfer of metal ions from mother to fetus, although it was obviously not a complete barrier. “We don’t know whether metal ions pose any health risks for pregnant women and their babies but as metal-on-metal implants increase in popularity and use, especially among young, active patients, women of child-bearing age and their doctors need to be aware of these findings when considering options for hip replacements,” Dr. Jacobs explained in a statement to the media. While there’s no absolute proof the metal ions are dangerous for moms or babies, previous research concerning these metals should raise some concern. For example, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the EPA have all determined that chromium metal compounds are known human carcinogens. In addition, based on animal studies, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that cobalt and cobalt compounds could possibly cause cancer in humans. Bottom line: women who plan on having children would be wise to consider natural and less invasive alternatives to metal hip replacement surgery. For example, keeping weight under control and appropriate exercise such as yoga can often help ease symptoms of osteoporosis, a condition that can lead to hip replacement surgery. For more information: http://www.rush.edu/webapps/MEDREL/servlet/NewsRelease?id=1359 http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts7.html http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts33.html