Meanwhile, the evidence mounts that common chemicals play a role in breast cancer incidence. Hormone-disrupting chemicals pose a particular concern, since breast cancer is sensitive to hormonal changes. One recent study found women who work in the plastics and food canning industries had a fivefold increase in premenopausal breast cancer. The conclusion? Exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals, including phthalates, bisphenol-A, and flame-retardants, is a decisive factor in breast cancer incidence.
Because the government and industry are slow to take steps to protect people from the carcinogenic effects of everyday toxic chemicals, it falls to the consumer to take steps to reduce exposures to cancer-causing chemicals. Learning more about these chemicals and working to avoid exposure to them is a key cancer prevention strategy that everyone can embrace.
Plants
do not seem to want to live in my house. After my last plant turned
completely brown, I decided to give up on growing anything indoors for a
while. Recently, I was inspired to give it another try after I heard
Kamal Meattle talk about his experience. Kamal had asthma so badly that
doctors predicted he could die if his living environment didn’t change.
Then, by simply adding plants in his home and workspace, his health
drastically improved and his asthma symptoms subsided (you can listen to
his Ted Talks presentation here).