There's a bogus email that's making its rounds yet again. I'm
not sure if the intention was pure or purely malicious in nature, but either way,
it's scaring the heck out of a lot of people.
Like so many chain letters, this one encourages you to pass it on. As very few people
will know it's a fake, combined with the fact there is some truth in it, I
wanted to pass the facts along to you in case you come across it.
The subject: plastic, and the cancer connection.
This email claims that plastics contain a known carcinogen called
dioxins.
The email claims that by freezing plastic (very common) and/or heating plastic,
as you would in the microwave, deadly dioxins are released into the food. This,
the email claims, is a cause for great alarm, and a definitive cancer-causing problem.
The only "problem" is that plastics do
not contain
dioxins...heated or unheated.
Does this mean it's safe to freeze plastic and then consume the food contained
within? As far as we know, this is perfectly safe. However,
heating plastic
is not a good idea. The issue is not dioxins, but a toxic family of chemicals called
phthalates. These nasties are released under heat and can cause hormone
disruptions in the body.
The degree to which our food and environment is polluted with estrogen-increasing
chemicals is staggering. Estrogen "stimulates" are far too common, and
you should avoid them whenever possible. A good way to start is to always heat food
in glass containers. Never use plasticware to heat food, even if it's only
for a few minutes in the microwave.
However, the most powerful hormone manipulator is
food - nothing else
comes close. The foods you consume have radical effects on your endocrine (hormonal)
system, especially estrogen. Elevated levels of estrogen are linked to early menopause
and andropause (male menopause), prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer. This is not
something to be taken lightly.
The meal plans our role models consume in
Fit Over 40 are by far
the best way you can lower the negative hormonal impact our modern diets have. That,
along with choosing organic foods whenever possible, can help ensure your hormones
stay naturally in-check throughout your life.