Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Use Glass

At these times, it's a challenge for us to forego using products made of polycarbonates. Nearly all products sold in the market are packed or contained in something made of plastic. We use them in our everyday living, for storing food or liquids and even for preparing food. It is difficult to find glass containers these days of the plastic revolution. That is why more people are getting sick all the time, our health deteriorating and our children's development and growth is suffering. When I was still a teenager, there was no news of a girl having her menstrual period at a very early age like 8. Today, that is not surprising considering BPA mimics the female hormone, estrogen. Research and studies show that a surprising 90% of the people have BPA trace residues in their bodies.

Even though the manufacture of Bisphenol begun in 1891, it was only in 1950 that its production were sold in the market. Bisphenol leaking out from early productions of plastics was the issue behind its long deferred public release. In science, BPA or Bisphenol A is described as the main ingredient in the production of polycarbonate material. Studies also noticed the adverse effect of bisphenol (even in little amounts), as it imitates the function of estrogen, the female sex hormone, on growing animals. Furthermore, hormonal imbalances have been the result of various specimens identified with Bisphenol A or BPA in their bloodstream. That is why BPA was tagged as "environmental hormones." This includes breast cancer, prostate cancer, early puberty, changes in brain structures and is particularly disturbing considering that most babies are drinking out of plastic baby bottles. Bisphenol A or BPA is indeed a very harmful substance. Canada itself was the first country to implement safety measures to restrict BPA exposure. Hey, long was it known of all the hazards this substance brings. Estroginicity was initially recorded from experiments done in the 1930's where ovariectomized rats are fed with BPA. (Dodds and Lawson, 1936, 1938) The study even undervalued the extent of BPA's effect on human beings.

The principle of BPA is it hardens the plastic and giving it a lightweight feeling, creating a clear, heat resistant, electrical resistant, and shatter resistant material. Glass lenses, storage discs, computers, tools, headlights, equipments for safety in sports and medicine, incubators, reusable containers and can linings - these are but a few of the many products that is polycarbonate made.

Worldwide use of BPA has reached about three million in metric tons during 2003 as published in the Handbook of Chemical Economics by SRI Consulting in August of 2004.

There are several manners in lessening your contact with the chemical substance, BPA. If you were to purchase your food consumption in the market such as tomato/spaghetti sauce, pickles, more likely pick those that are stored in glass jars, especially if you plan to buy tomato sauces. What happens with tomato sauces packed in plastic is that the acid in the tomato triggers the release of BPAs. Eat fruits and vegetables that are fresh or taken from the garden and stored directly in the freezer. These do not have BPA in them. Juices and sodas in glass bottles is more preferred. Glass bottles for your baby is the way to do it.

As much as possible, everything I use is made of glass or ceramic. Remember your pets need feeding too and they have a container of their own. Try to make sure that your using a glass container or ceramic or stainless steel and not plastic. Birdbaths too are available in the market made of glass or ceramic which are very colorful by the way. It's an attraction in the yard for domestic and wildlife creatures to reduce its contact with BPA's and at same time, glass can be recycled. In any case, glass still prevails!

Get a ceramic bird bath for your pets. They deserve the best from you. At Best Pet Products, they have a great deal of ceramic bird baths to decide on from. Get one now.


Avoid Plastics - Use Ceramics Or Glass As A Substitute

At these times, it's a challenge for us to forego using products made of polycarbonates. Polycarbonate products are present nearly in every container we buy or use. We drink from these containers, store food in them, and prepare food for cooking in them. In this era of plastics, it's hard to find containers that are made of glass. More and more illnesses have surfaced that can be linked to plastic use, affecting everybody, young and old. Eight year old girls having menses never actually happened during my teenage years. Today, that is not surprising considering BPA mimics the female hormone, estrogen. Scientific studies indicate that trace residues of BPA have been found in 90% of the population, a very shocking percentage.

Bisphenol was created in 1891, however, its production for profit only started in 1950. The chemical Bisphenol or BPA was leaking from some containers that's why its release to the public was delayed. The definition of Bisphenol is: a manufactured chemical commonly used in the production of polycarbonate plastics, which has been found to affect the development of animals (even in minute doses) by acting like the hormone estrogen. Moreover, various experiments conducted on animals and those in test tubes that were found to have traces of Bisphenol A had hormonal imbalances thus it was termed as "environmental hormones". Among these effects are cancer of the breast and prostate, early menstruation and modified brain structures. I find it very alarming to think that a lot of our baby bottles and feeders are made of plastic. In fact, it is considered such a dangerous chemical, the Canadian Ministry of Health is taking measures to control exposure to BPA, the first country to recognize the dangers of BPA exposure and do something about it. Hey, long was it known of all the hazards this substance brings. Dodds and Lawson in 1936 and 1938 were the first to establish estroginicity when they tested it on ovariectomized rats. They added BPA in their consumption. BPA's effect on the human level was even miscalculated as revealed in the tests.

It's purpose is to harden the plastic and provide a lightweight, clear, heat and electrical resistant, and shatter resistant container. Polycarbonates are in just about anything you can think of, from eyeglass lenses, CD's, DVD's, computers, tools, car headlights, sports safety equipment, medical devices, incubators, and reusable drink and food containers - and even the linings of beverage and food cans.

SRI Consulting printed in its Chemical Economics Handbook, released in August of 2004 its findings on the overall consumption of BPA for the year 2003, an estimated 3 million metric tons.

There are several manners in lessening your contact with the chemical substance, BPA. If at all possible, buy your foods in glass jars such as tomato/spaghetti sauce, pickles, but especially tomato because the acid in the tomatoes causes more leakage of the BPA's. Eat fruits and vegetables that are fresh or taken from the garden and stored directly in the freezer. These do not have BPA in them. Buy juices and if you drink soda, in glass bottles whenever possible. Also, for your baby's safety, use a glass bottle when feeding her/him.

I use ceramic or glass every chance I get. Remember your pets need feeding too and they have a container of their own. Try to make sure that your using a glass container or ceramic or stainless steel and not plastic. Birdbaths too are available in the market made of glass or ceramic which are very colorful by the way. It creates an attraction to various animals at the same time, they are also safe because they don't have contact with BPA containing products. Anyway, glass can be recycled. Glass is actually better than plastic, however you look at it!

Purchase a ceramic bowl for your pets. They deserve the best from you. At Best Pet Products, they've got a great deal of ceramic bowls to select from. Acquire one now.