How-to limit your BPA exposure plus healthy alternatives

For 20+ years, scientists have proven the harmful effects of bisphenol-A (BPA), a synthetic estrogen found in everyday products.

According to experts if you have been living in Europe or the US it is highly probable that you have BPA in your system as 90% of Europeans and Americans have detectable amounts.

Plus nearly seven billion tons of BPA are produced annually, an alarming rise according to a petrochemical consulting firm Chemical Market Associates, Inc.'s (CMAI) figures that only 2.8 million tons was produced globally in 2002.

That seven billion tons of BPA ends up in a number of consumer goods including polycarbonate plastic products (reusable water bottles, sippy cups, leftover containers, baby bottles, toys), the lining of canned foods, baby formula and beverages, pizza boxes and other fast food containers, non-metal dental fillings, thermal paper (receipts), some medical devices and even leached into beaches' sand and water.

Here are some tips to limit your BPA exposure:
- Avoid drinking canned sodas, beers
- Opt for bottled waters and other plastics with the recycling labels #1, #2 and #4 on the bottom and avoid those with PC or #7.
- Wash plastics by hand or on the top shelf of your dishwasher
- Do not microwaves plastics
- Eat fresh foods as much as possible and avoid canned foods (especially pasta, meats and soups).
- Try to stay away from receipts (sometimes it can be emailed) and carbonless paper, if you handle a large amount of receipts wash your hands often and try wearing gloves.

Sarah Janssen, MD, PhD, MPH, a senior scientist in the Environment and Public Health program at NRDC, said in a June 30, The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) release, "BPA-free alternatives are already available and on the market. The FDA has no good reason to drag their feet on banning it."

Here are some BPA-free brands, keep in mind any product that is BPA-free will boldly highlight it:
Nalgene Outdoor Products (water bottles)
Green to Grow (baby bottles)
Eden canned beans (only the beans)
Rubbermaid containers
Oral B toothbrushes
Lego, Duplo toy blocks (made in Europe and US only)