BPA Free Plastic is Cancerous!

The University of Texas published a report in 2011 in Environmental Health Perspectives confirming that hormone-disrupting chemicals leach from almost all plastics, even BPA-free plastics.

BPA concerns us because it has Estrogenic Activity (EA), meaning it mimics the hormone estrogen in the body. According to the study authors, chemicals with EA have been linked to all kinds of health problems, including early puberty in females, reduced sperm counts, altered functions of reproductive organs, obesity, altered sex-specific behaviors, and increased rates of some breast, ovarian, testicular, and prostate cancers.

BPA-free plastics are turning out to be just as dangerous as the products they’ve replaced. A peer-reviewed study published by Environmental Health Perspectives revealed that almost all plastics, no matter what type (BPA-free or not) were found to leach estrogen disruptors. In fact, some BPA-free products actually released more harmful chemicals than the original products that clearly contained bisphenol-A. (source)

So why is harmful plastic still being used?

Basically, regulating the safety of plastics is a political mess.

One glaring problem is that the laws governing chemical manufacturing do not require new chemicals to be safety-tested before they go on the market. Companies are rarely required to collect or disclose safety data, these chemicals are just presumed to be safe until proven otherwise – often after damage is already done. 

Because of this, it is virtually impossible to even know the exact chemical composition of any commercially available plastic part. A plastic item like a baby bottle can contain almost 100 undisclosed chemicals, so a product labeled as BPA-free (or free of any other known toxin) may still have component parts that actually contained harmful chemicals anyway. (source)

According to Michael Green, director for the Center for Environmental Health, “Corporations that come under pressure to root out toxins often replace them with untested chemicals, which sometimes turn out to be just as hazardous.”

BPA Free Plastic is cancerous!! Are you still letting your babies/children and family members using plastic or BPA Free plastic milk bottle/water bottles? Are you going to ignore the facts and put them in risk?

Just like everything else toxic in this world, pollution, cigarettes, alcohol, preservatives and additives in our food and skincare, contaminants in our water, etc., none of it will kill you all at once, but increased exposure increases your chances of cancers, illnesses and an overall weakened immune system and quality of life. So tap into your inner hippie and avoid plastics.

It is time to change your lifestyle. Quit using bpa free plastic but glass! Kindly contact us for Lifefactory Glass milk bottles and water bottles (for all ages) today. Spread the news and get all the people around you to be aware of this scary bpa free plastic truth.

Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Support Group - Fundraising campaign

Understand more about our Go Green! Go Glass! Cancer Awareness Campaign 2014. RM10 will be donated to Pink Ribbon Cancer Support Group for each water bottle sold! However, some people might wonder, where does their donation goes to? What is Pink Ribbon Cancer Support Group for? How can my little donation help? Hopefully you can have a rough idea after reading the information below. Thank you! INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT Psychosocial or emotional support aims to improve the quality of life for women diagnosed with  breast cancer as well as their family members and it is a powerful platform for coping with life  during diagnosis, treatment and beyond. The Patient Support Team consists of breast cancer survivors who undergo training and on-going supervision in offering psychosocial or emotional support for women diagnosed with breast cancer  and their families. Support is given through face to face sessions, phone calls and electronically. These support programmes help individuals with breast cancer and their loved ones to cope with life during and after diagnosis and treatment. The Patient Support Team members visit newly diagnosed individuals in government and private  hospitals regularly in the initial stages of their treatment, providing them and their family members support to help them cope emotionally, psychologically and physically through their  diagnosis, treatment and recovery. On the first visit, each newly diagnosed person is given a comfy kit, consisting of a bag, a  temporary prosthesis (if needed), a stress ball, a scarf and a arm rest pillow. GROUP PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT Therapeutic, social and emotional support activities are organised to help women with breast  cancer to deal with their treatment and recovery, and eventually, to take control of their lives  again. In these sessions, irrespective of educational, ethnic or social background, women with breast  cancer are able to benefit from mutual support, fellowship and information on managing  themselves. The Patient Support Team volunteers offer one-to-one informal educational sessions to help  newly diagnosed women and their family members to understand and gain knowledge about  what to expect during treatment and beyond. The sessions provide privacy and freedom for  them to express their concerns and to ask questions on coping and managing themselves through their breast cancer experience and making lifestyle choices. The common issues discussed at these sessions are: Fear of treatment; Concerns regarding uncertainty in life; Breast reconstruction; Dietary issues; Complementary therapies; Alternative treatment; Self and public image; Employment concerns; Financial constraints; Dealing with social stigma, prejudice and discrimination related to breast cancer; Logistical issues; and, Communication with children. Group Sharing Sessions Group psychosocial support programmes are a way to provide therapeutic, social and emotional support to help women with breast cancer and family members to deal with the impact of disease and treatment enabling women to regain control of their lives. These activities conducted in a safe environment reach out to women with breast cancer irrespective of their educational, ethnic or social backgrounds and enable them to benefit from the mutual support, fellowship, experience and the sharing of information in an informal way. The Patient Support Team members facilitate the sessions to ensure the participants are not misled into biased information. They are also available to attend to queries and to support women through their fears and concerns regarding mortality, suffering, dietary concerns and lifestyle adjustment. PROSTHESIS (artificial breast) Pink Ribbon Cancer Support Group makes available temporary prostheses and mastectomy bras for women who have had mastectomy (removal of the breast). The prosthesis that is inserted into the bra on a temporary basis is designed to maintain the external appearance of the breast and to give a boost of self-esteem to the woman. Feather-light weight and softness of the temporary prosthesis facilitates comfort and ease especially when the surgical wound is still sore due to surgery and during or after radiotherapy. However, the temporary prosthesis is not ideal for long-term use as it is too light to maintain body posture and it can cause postural and back problems in the long term. These prostheses are designed and stitched by the members who are mostly breast cancer survivors. They also provide training to enable other breast cancer support groups to sew their own prostheses. Pink Ribbon Cancer Support Group staff offers advice on the modification of pre-existing bras and the fitting of prosthesis and bra. While the temporary prostheses are given free, the mastectomy bra are sold at affordable prices and offered for free to the needy. HAIR SHAVING and WIG STYLING Women with breast cancer who undergo chemotherapy may lose their hair temporarily due to the side effects of the treatment. To ease the burden of additional expenses for these women, hair shaving and styling of wigs by professional hairstylist and loan of wigs are given to them at no cost. Pink Ribbon Cancer Support Group staff members are available to assist them to find the most appropriate wig to suit them. Once the suitable wig is chosen, the staff members will bring the women with breast cancer to our professional hairstylist for hair shaving and wig styling so that the wig will look natural. Advice on maintenance of the wigs is also given. Women walk away wearing a wig, feeling relived and looking good. Due to wear and tear, the wigs are regularly replenished to ensure that they are in good condition when given to the women. PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS The extensive, on-going public education and awareness programmes conducted by Pink  Ribbon Cancer Support Group  aims to change public perception, attitude, behaviour and  action concerning breast health. The message cannot be emphasized enough, that early detection and timely medical treatment  of breast cancer are crucial in increasing the chances of preventing premature deaths.  The support group continues to hold exhibitions, talks and workshops that are conducted in different languages to educate the public on breast health awareness. Specific topics are covered during these public educational and awareness programmes  such as:- - Methods of early detection of breast cancer including mammogram, clinical breast  examination and breast self-examination; - Benefits of early detection and time medical treatment including testimonies given by breast  cancer survivors;- Adopting an energy-balanced lifestyle at a young age to prevent  non-communicable diseases including cancers.  This support group will need funding to maintain their services for all year round.  All breast cancer survivors in the hospital will be receiving a goodies bag which includes  prosthesis, arm rest pillow, stress ball and a scarf for free. In every October, during the  Breast Cancer Awareness Month, all these goodies bags will be distributed to all general hospitals in Kuching, Bintulu, Miri and Sibu, Sarawak. Do not be little to your small sum of donation and never  get tired of doing little things for others, sometimes those  little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts!

"Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world. - Howard Zinn"

Go Green! Go Glass! Cancer Awareness Campaign 2014

Happy Meal

My princess's favorite restaurant is at RH Plaza, Kuching.
She will choose her own plate/bowl, high chair, beverage and finish half bowl of
soupy rice happily without fail. ^^

BPA Free Plastic is Cancerous!

Due to health-conscious mentally, we, the parents always go for BPA-free plastics to keep our children safe, and now there's a huge expose out that says maybe BPA wasn't the worst thing hiding in our baby bottles, plates, water bottles and sippy cups!

We all probably know that the commercial chemical BPA, or bisphenol-A, is a toxic nasty that could interrupt the endocrine system and cause all sorts of problems for our children. If you are not familiar with BPA, let me tell you what is BPA. 

Bisphenol A or BPA, is a chemical produced in large quantities primarily for use in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Here’s the kicker – it was originally designed as a synthetic form of estrogen and used in hormone replacement therapy. However, somewhere along the line scientists discovered that it could help make plastics hard and clear, and thenceforth, the floodgates were opened. 

And why is BPA bad? Since BPA mimics estrogen, it can impact your endocrine system – hence the name “endocrine disruptor.” There are literally hundreds upon hundreds of research studies published in the most respectable peer-reviewed scientific journals linking this little toxic chemical to a plethora of chronic conditions; obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and reproductive abnormalities to mention a few.

Nowadays, every plastic widget is so-called BPA free.  BPA free water bottles, BPA free sippy cups, BPA free baby bottles, BPA free blenders,etc. In one sense, this awareness is a pretty significant development in the right direction. However, the problem with plastics is that even those that are BPA free may still contain BPA or some other estrogen mimicking chemicals.

Yes! BPA-free plastic is also cancerous as it releases toxic without heat after several washing! 

The scientific study that found "some BPA-free products actually released synthetic estrogens that were more potent than BPA," and even shares the results of lab testing on BPA-free sippy cups. A quarter of the tested cups, the kinds purchased at major retailers, tested positive for what they call "estrogenic activity."

Sounds scary, doesn't it?

The plastics study from the University of Texas-Austin recently published in the NIH journal Environmental Health Perspectives, "almost all" plastics that were tested leached synthetic estrogens, including the BPA-free products out on the market.

Is this any worse than BPA itself?

Not worse, necessarily, but not better either! The primary reason moms -- and many companies -- have moved away from BPA is the feared risks to the endocrine system. The National Toxicology Program has expressed “some concern" for effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and children exposed to BPA.

So if BPA-free products are truly leaching chemicals that are just as risky, then it stands to reason our kids are STILL at risk, despite moms' best efforts.

Where is this stuff hiding?

The short answer is in "most" BPA-free plastic, at least according to the study out of the University of Texas-Austin. More specifically, according to the researchers' tests:

• 70 percent of HDPE plastic (a hard plastic use to make baby bottles, milk jugs, ice cube trays, etc. -- the acronym for the type of plastic can typically be found on the bottom of the container) tested positive for synthetic estrogens.
• 75 percent of PET or PETE plastic (a more pliable plastic used to make water and soda bottles) tested positive for synthetic estrogens.
• 68 percent of PP plastic (a heat-resistant plastic used to make baby bottles, sippy cups, and reusable food storage containers) tested positive for synthetic estrogens.
• 55 percent of PS plastic (a hard plastic used for making dishes, drinking glasses and food packaging) tested positive for synthetic estrogens.
• 91 percent of PLA plastics (a plastic used to make disposable forks and spoons, yogurt cups, and takeout containers) tested positive for synthetic estrogens.
• Other plastics are out there but have not yet been tested.

How can we protect our kids?

 5 tips on how to stay BPA free

1. Avoid all forms of plastic food containers whenever possible. Glass, stainless steel or porcelain should become your new best friends in the kitchen.
2. Avoid canned foods. That can of corn may not only be from GMO crop, it may also come with a dollop of BPA –based epoxy resin – the stuff used line the insides of most canned goods. If you have to eat from a can, there are several good BPA free options out there. Edens Foods is a popular one  
3. Increase your consumption of raw fruits and vegetables. Eating fresh fruits and veggies enables better detoxification of numerous toxic compounds including endocrine disruptors such as BPA. Based on scientific studies, broccoli, grapefruit, and apples are a great place to start
4. If plastic is the only option for a particular utensil or appliance, make sure it is not marked with the 3, 6 or 7 recycle codes. These 2 codes (flexible PVC or Polycarbonate respectively) indicate a possible presence of phthalates or BPA in the plastic
5. Also, if you find yourself forced to use plastic food containers, avoid microwaving them at all costs. BPA is more likely to leach at higher temperatures

Glass is One of the Best Alternatives
You may not be able to move away from all plastics because they are ubiquitous on the market, but where possible, but if you're interested in avoiding any number of chemical toxins leaching into your food and beverages, choose glass over plastic, especially when it comes to products that will come into contact with food or beverages, or those intended for pregnant women, infants and children. This applies to canned goods as well, which are a major source of BPA (and possibly other chemicals) exposure, so whenever you can, choose jarred goods over canned goods, or opt for fresh instead. Another good idea is to ditch plastic teething toys for your little ones and choose natural wood or fabric varieties instead.

To be fair, you probably can no longer completely eliminate your exposure to BPA, BPS and similar toxins (since they're likely in our air, water, and food, too) but you can certainly reduce your exposure dramatically by making informed choices like those described above.