This Mother’s Day, Consider the Chemical Cocktail You’ll Pass On To The Next Generation
In a recent study, the Environmental Working Group tested the blood and urine samples of four mothers and their daughters looking for a common relationship between the “body burden,” or the chemical cocktail of industrial pollutants that’s found in the human blood stream, of mothers and their daughters.
The study found a common link between the two generations outside of their genetic makeup, looks or personality. The additional link: inherited industrial pollutants that swim throughout the blood stream over a lifetime. And we wonder why our cancer rates and serious health ailments are on a steady rise?
The tests found that women’s blood and urine samples were polluted with an average of 35 consumer product ingredients including, plasticizers, flame retardants, and stain-proof coatings. The study found that the daughters of the mothers had more chemicals in common with their mothers than an outside group of 16 other women who were also tested. These chemicals can commonly be found in consumer products such as fabrics, furniture, pots and pans and cosmetics amongst many others.
The study also found that a large proportion of the industrial pollutants that is inherited from the mother, could survive in the human blood stream for up to a lifetime. It is pretty eye opening to see the scientific proof of the pollution of toxic chemicals that circulate throughout the human body from the everyday products we use and consume. Additionally when you look at how long it could potentially take for the human body to eliminate these chemicals it makes you think twice about the products you purchase.
The study charts the length of time it will take for the daughter to eliminate up to 99% of the chemical pollutants she inherits. For instance, on the bright side it might only take one day for a new born to eliminate phthalate plasticizers. What are phthalate plasticizers? According to www.EWG.org, “Phthalates are common plastic softeners and solvents in a wide variety of consumer products, including cosmetics, paint, and plastics.”
It could take up to one year to eliminate mercury and somewhere between adolescence and 60 years of age to eliminate flame retardants and stain proofing chemicals and up to 166 years of age (beyond our lifetime) to eliminate lead. EWG.org states, “Metals — Mercury and lead — Common metals include lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium – Some cause lowered IQ, developmental delays, behavioral disorders and cancer at doses found in the environment. Used in a wide array of consumer products and commercial applications.”
Finally the study confirms that pollution does build up in the human body over a life time. Chemicals that were found at higher levels in the mothers were discovered to endure over many years. This persistent build up of chemical pollutants in the human blood stream increases our risk of constant long term health issues. Those chemicals included: lead, methylmercury, brominated flame retardants, and the Teflon- and Scotchgard-related perfluorochemicals known as PFOA and PFOS.
Anyone who thinks that the human body is impermeable to chemical industrial pollutants found in everyday consumer products, is only kidding them self. Those that choose to avoid or ignore scientific proof that chemicals are a big problem and may be linked to many of today’s chronic health ailments will probably spend a lot more time in a doctor’s office over a life time, and more money on pharmaceutical drugs that cause more side effects then they do “cure,” than someone who makes conscious decisions about the everyday products they use.
Remember: Get healthy and go organic!
Laura Klein
P.S. Look for our upcoming e-book on non-toxic living. Currently we are looking for our reader’s feedback and opinions. In exchange for five minutes of your time you will receive a free copy of our e-book. If you are interested in speaking with us please email me at [email protected] .
