Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The Disappearing Male

Silicon in hair products to make our hair shine, vinyl toys for our children to chew on, phthalates to make colognes last all day, flame retardants in our pillows... the list goes on. In fact there are thousands of chemicals sold that end up inside our house and almost none of them have been tested for long-term safety.

CCNM was priveledged to have Rick Smith (who is the Executive Director of Environmental Defence and author of, Slow Death by Rubber Duck) speak on the effects of common chemicals. As he made clear, pollution is not something out there like big smoke stacks, but right inside us: we are polluted!
The Canadian Government's recent 180 turn on the hormone disruptor Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an indication that, with public pressure, changing the influence of the chemical giants is possible. Removing BPA from baby bottles is an excellent start, but the problem is much bigger. The problem is about a regulatory system that failed, about 85% of chemicals that have never been tested, and about the unknown (since it will take decades to see the effects of this toxic legacy).

The CBC documentary, The Disappearing Male, showed that baby boys are the first ones to be effected by chemical hormone disruptors. Even in adulthood, male reproductive problems can be linked to petroleum byproducts. However, consumers have great power and vote everyday with what they purchase.

Check out toxicnation.ca for information on how to go toxic free. Naturopathic doctors are very educated in this area and can work with you towards removing the pollution from your body and providing you with resourceful ways to minimize your exposure.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Ask me about this!
After a perfect and clean pregnancy- not a single pharma drug-even otc going into me, with a strong background in yoga, lacto-vegetarian, no chemicals like perfumes or and skin/hair care products(i use oil and soap nut), no use of plastics,teflon products & microwave, carefully picked organic food etc etc, my son was born with hypospadoius. Caused by the cumilative pollution in my body over 30 years, possibly even from the air I inhaled.
I still cannot help but ask why my child after all that I know and for my most sincere effort to live clean and green.
But this stuff still happens. Is there a true way out, I wonder...

PS: My son underwent surgery for hypospadios repair when he was 11 mths old and is fine now.