Healthy Breasts For Every Woman

More and more people are becoming aware of a chemical called Bisphenol A (BPA).  It is used in the production of polycarbonate plastics which are clear and nearly shatter-proof, in particular babies bottles and plastic mineral water bottles.  It is also present in toys, the lining of some food cans and dental sealants.

With bottles, the concern is that BPA can leach into the contents when heated or when the plastic becomes old and gets scratched.  Sheryl Crow is convinced she got breast cancer because she used to drink water from bottles left in her car which had heated up in the sun.

BPA can mimic the effect of the hormone oestrogen in the body.  Animal studies have shown it affects reproductive, neurological and immune systems.  Babies are particularly vulnerable to hormone mimicking effects because they grow rapidly, both in the womb and in their early months and years.

The National Childbirth Trust advises parents to adopt the precautionary principle and avoid bottles containing BPA.  Read their factsheet http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/info-centre/information/view-119 to find out how to choose the safest bottle for a baby.  Bottles with BPA have already been banned in Canada and are in the process of being withdrawn in the US.

Breast Cancer UK have launched a campaign, No More BPA, to draw attention to the potential harmful effects of BPA as a hormone mimic to human health.  The charity has put together a detailed report on the effects of Bisphenol A on the hormone system and, in particular, in connection with breast cancer risk.  You can read more about the campaign and download/read the report at the dedicated website http://www.nomorebpa.org.uk.

It is possible to buy bottles without BPA (the Sistema range available from Lakeland for example).  Most bottles have a number in the recycling symbol on the bottom and the numbers which are safer are 1 or PETE/PET, 2 or HDPE, 4 or LDPE and 5 PP.  Avoid 3, 6 and 7.

Nikki Mattei

As you may know, Breast Cancer UK (BCUK) is one of my preferred charities.  It has just launched a new campaign, “No More BPA”.

BPA (also known as Bisphenol A) is a mass produced chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics that are clear and nearly shatter-proof.

Over the last decade numerous scientific studies have highlighted the potential health effects of low level exposure to BPA - at levels that people in the UK and the rest of the developed world are exposed to every day.  BPA can leach from the plastic when heated, ie when a baby’s bottle is heated in a microwave or when the plastic becomes scratched and damaged.

The vast majority of these studies have raised public health concerns, especially about the exposure of very young children to BPA as they are less able to eliminate the chemical from their bodies, and scientists have linked exposure to increased risk of breast cancer as well as many other chronic diseases.

To read more go to http://www.nomorebpa.org.uk/.

BPA can also be found in everyday plastic bottles for drinking water. Plastics use a numbering system to inform what they are made of and it is recommended to only opt for plastics with the following number/symbols:

1 -PETE         2 - HDPE      4 - LDPE     5- PP

Avoid heating plastics and discard any bottles of water which have warmed up whilst in the car - Sheryl Crow, who has had breast cancer, is convinced that she got the disease because she regularly drank bottled water which had been left in her hot car and then cooled down.

If you are concerned that this chemical is still allowed in our plastics in this country, then please visit the BCUK website at http://www.nomorebpa.org.uk/ and register your support by using the easy link to contact your MP.

Nikki Mattei

Sheryl Crow believes that she got breast cancer from drinking water which had been heated up whilst left in the car.  Certain chemicals, including Bisphenol A (BPA), can leach from plastic when heated.

Sheryl Crow’s oncologist told her: Women should not drink bottled water that has been left in a car. The heat reacts with the chemicals in the plastic of the bottle which releases dioxin into the water. Dioxin is a toxin increasingly found in breast cancer tissue. 

BPA is one of the types of chemicals I have mentioned before – an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), which means that it can act like oestrogen in our bodies.  In studies with mice, it has been shown that BPA can cause damage to DNA.  Ana Soto, professor of cell biology at Tufts University medical school in the US told BBC News Online:

“We’ve already found evidence that BPA can damage the mammary, the uterus and the male genital tract in lab animals.

“This research shows it alters reproductive cells both in foetuses and in adult animals.”

Six baby bottle manufacturers in the US are to remove Bisphenol A (BPA) from their products due to consumer demand.  However, these bottles will continue to be sold in the UK.

The current advice for mothers is not to heat milk in the microwave in the baby’s bottle and do not pour in boiling liquid straight into the bottle – let it cool down first.  You can also contact the manufacturer of your baby’s bottle and ask about BPA.  If there is enough pressure from parents in this country, hopefully BPA will be banned here too.

Also avoid keeping bottled water anywhere it could get hot.  Don’t reuse plastic bottles as they can leach when they get older and start to crack.  Ideally, don’t use a microwave in the first place but, if you do, heat up your food in glass or pyrex containers.

Nikki Mattei

www.healthybreastscampaign.com