Do you know that one in eight women will develop breast cancer? Here’s a more morbid fact – close to 40,000 women die from the disease each year. If you think of it, you are bound to know someone who has or has had breast cancer. They can be family members, friends, neighbors, and people from work. While the numbers are alarming, it’s good to know that more and more research is being done in the field, leading to breakthrough treatment options and detection methods, as well as more information on what you can do to prevent the risk of developing the condition.
While the exact cause of the condition is not known, evidence points to a link between breast cancer and common chemicals in the products that we use. Most of the chemicals identified are hormone disrupting, and the jarring truth is that majority of them are found in common products that we use every day.
Breast Cancer and Common Chemicals To Worry About
When it comes to breast cancer causing chemicals, there is quite a long list to consider, there are three very common chemicals that you need to be aware of when it comes to breast cancer. These chemicals are bisphenol-A (BPA), parabens and phthalates. The reason why we’ve focused on this three is because it’s very easy to get exposed to these substances. In fact, you may even be using products that contain them.
A good thing to note is that you can reduce or avoid your exposure to them by reading labels and making informed decisions when it comes to buying products and food, and here’s how you can do it.
Not Just Bottles: Bisphenol-A (BPA)
You’ve probably heard of BPA because of the aggressive drive to remove the said chemical from baby bottles and products, but this chemical is present in many other places.
BPA is a hormone disrupting chemical that has been linked to early puberty, which is apparently a risk factor for developing breast cancer later in life. BPA can be found just about anywhere – plastic containers, food cans and even cash register receipts.
Some good ways to avoid this chemical is by making sure your food containers are BPA free. If you can – use glass or stainless steel to store your food instead.
Parabens On Your Skin
Parabens are widely used in personal care products – consumers, lotions, creams, deodorants and other similar products. These chemicals can be absorbed by the skin and lead to estrogen disruption, which also in turn is another risk factor for breast cancer. They can be avoided by choosing organic products, or those that are labeled “paraben free”
Pthalates And Synthetic Scents
Lastly, phthalates are types of chemicals found in a wide range of products. They’re added to plastics to make them pliable and soft, but are also found in products that contain synthetic fragrances such as cosmetics, detergents, air fresheners, cleaning products and the like. You can avoid these chemicals by avoiding vinyl products, which are softened with the use of phthalates. Choose unscented home and personal care products or those, which are naturally scented with essential oils instead.
The three chemicals mentioned above are just a few of the many other ones associated with the condition, so you might want to check a more extensive list as well. A lot of them are avoidable, as long as you make informed decisions in the products that you use, but there are those that are hard to avoid. Still, knowing what to look for and what not to use are great preventive methods that you can take against breast cancer.