Photo by tijmen van dobbenburgh.

The media has propelled estrogen-mimicking chemical bisphenol A (BPA) to the forefront of health news. It’s ubiquitous, and it’s likely in your body.

The chemical, developed as an estrogen replacement, is commonly used to harden plastics such, most commonly polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It’s been linked to various cancers, diabetes, heart disease and digestive problems. The polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins are often used in plastic helmets and goggles, computers, kitchen appliances, medical devices, adult toys, and the packaging for some foods and drinks—including soda cans, water bottles and baby bottles. This month Consumer Reports and the watchdogs at the Milwaukee, Wisc., Journal Sentinel found BPA leaching into commercially canned foods (it’s in the lining).

And last week Linda Birnbaum, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program, told the Journal Sentinel that consumers should be concerned. Here’s a roundup that many products containing BPA, along with links to safer alternatives.

To learn more about BPA, read “Chasing Molecules: Poisonous Products, Human Health, and the Promise of Green Chemistry” by Elizabeth Grossman.

So what’s a health-conscious person to do? Eat more fresh food, of course. Or preserve your own in good old-fashioned glass jar. Here are some books that will teach you to safely and easily preserve the summer’s bounty from your garden, farmer’s market or local store.

• Stocking Up, 3rd Edition, by Carol Hupping is one of the most recommended books on safe canning and includes great recipes.
• Wild Fermentation, by Sandor Katz focuses on fermentation as a preservation method.
• Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving, the US Department of Agriculture’s classic.

Canning is fun for the whole family, and the results can make thoughtful, thrifty holiday and hostess gifts. It’s also clearly the healthiest choice.

Dr. Orna Izakson, ND, RH (AHG) is a naturopathic physician, herbalist, gardener and writer. She specializes in respiratory issues, mood and women's health at Celilo Natural Health Center in Portland, Oregon.

Photo by paul l nettles.

All this talk about organic foods on twitter this week has done two things:

1. Sent me back into memory dreamland remembering eating wild cherries from the neighbor’s trees in France

2. Living in Bangkok today, made me realize how these organic foods are not within everyone’s reach.  Either they’re too expensive or, depending on where you live, simply unavailable.  As much as I would love to eat organic foods 100% of the time, it is not going to happen this week in South East Asia.

I don’t think I need to go into all the different problems associated with a high pesticide load (another article perhaps?) because there are too many. Also, I trust that your common sense must tell you that they are bad for you despite ridiculous studies like the one published in the Times Online article this week.  Instead, lets prioritize.

Farmers have the daunting task of dealing with insects, mites, fungus, weeds, mollusks, nematodes, and 14-year-old me on a guerilla mission to eat my body weight in cherries every other day. Many of them turn to insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, molluscicides, miticides, nematicides and drnishanticides. A lot of these chemicals are fat soluble which means the fattier the food the more I prioritize buying that item organic.

Cooking oils, animal meats etc (being animals ourselves, a lot of the chemical residue ends up in your fat tissue, which is a good reason to lose weight gradually over time).  That’s a simple guideline but there are exceptions, avocado, for example, has a low pesticide residue (think thick skin).

The Environmental Working Group has a wonderful list called the Dirty Dozen which they update continuously.  Here is the ranking of the worst foods in order of pesticide load to eat non-organic, meaning, if you don’t always go organic, at the least try to go organic on the following 12 foods:

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes (imported)
11. Carrots
12. Pears
13. Tomatoes

If you choose organic with these then you’ll be saving yourself a load of solvent toxicity over time.  Here is a handy iPhone app and wallet size card you can print out to keep track of vegetable pesticide load.

Happy shopping!

P.S. That image of the plane, those are pesticides being sprayed all over your Top 12.

Dr. Nishant Rao is a co-founder of WellWire.com. He is a well-traveled naturopathic doctor and new father, practicing an integrative approach to create wellness in and around Los Angeles. Become a patient or discover his practice.

Photo by matticgn.

The ease of sliding a fried egg (runny yolk right!) out of a small non stick pan early in the morning while you’re still half asleep is a convenience that is not going to be easy to give up, but here’s why you have to throw them out.

The slick surfaces of these pans contain a chemical called perflurooctanoic acid, or PFOA.  In 2006  The United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) ordered all manufactures of PFOA’s to reduce production by  95% by 2010, and completely eliminate them by 2015.  So at this point it basically gives the consumer an additional year’s dose of a chemical known to cause cancer, reproductive problems and flu like symptoms including headaches and runny noses.  

There are no reasons to continue your exposure.  The chemical will soon have the notorious honor of being placed in the same category as mercury and lead as far as its impact on the human body.

If you heat a non-stick pan and you have a pet bird nearby they will drop dead.  Out cold in a few minutes from the toxic fumes.  Amazing that people continue to argue that birds have sensitive respiratory tracts as the reason and that it has nothing to do with the fumes from the chemical being harmful to humans.  Isn’t that why they used canaries in old 1900′s mine shafts to test for gas at a pre-lethal human threshold and as an early warning system?  Ridiculous argument.  

This argument is nothing new. The battle between the chemical manufactures such as Dupont and environmental activists has been going on for decades with no resolution until 2006. Uma Chowdhry, Dupont’s vice president of research and development, told ABC’s 20/20, “You get some fumes, yes, and you get a flu-like symptom, which is reversible.”  Well, at least they are now starting to admit to some of the allegations – but its far too late.

Remember it’s never too late to go back basics.  Besides, I seriously doubt the next generation of chemical alternatives for non-stick pans come 2010-2015 will be without its hidden side effects. I don’t recommend ever cooking with aluminium for several other reasons (will post something on this later).  The following will never go out of style, and your food will actually cook better and caramelize/brown appropriately in these pans:

• Stainless steel – Mine still somehow stains
• Cast Iron – This is the original non stick pan when seasoned correctly (Use lard)
• Ceramic – Just ceramic.

P.S. An often overlooked, hidden source of this chemical are microwave popcorn bags.  Due to the heat the same danger of chemical off gassing is present.

Dr. Nishant Rao is a co-founder of WellWire.com. He is a well-traveled naturopathic doctor and new father, practicing an integrative approach to create wellness in and around Los Angeles. Become a patient or discover his practice.