7 Best Ways to Avoid Toxic BPA

BPA, or bisphenol-A, is a dangerous chemical linked to health concerns from digestive problems to issues with brain development. It’s recently been found in 91 percent of Canadians and is present in around two billion products here in the U.S. that we use on a daily basis. Because it’s the most harmful on developing brains and bodies, children and pregnant women especially need to avoid contact with BPA.

While the industry claims that BPA exposure levels from their products are safe, that claim seems a little shaky when you start adding up all of the places we come into contact with BPA.

Here are some of the common places we come into contact with BPA each day and how to limit exposure.

1. Avoid Canned Food

While some companies have taken the BPA out of their cans, most still use this harmful chemical in the canning process. Your best bet is to either hunt down BPA free canned foods, like beans from Eden Organics, or avoid them all together. 

This is especially important with more acidic foods like tomatoes. You’ll want to stick with fresh tomatoes or the sort that come in a glass jar or cardboard box.

2. Quit Canned Soda

BPA has been found in many varieties of canned soda. This is a pretty easy issue to address! Soda isn’t the healthiest option to begin with. Sticking with water and tea is better for your body beyond the BPA. 

3. Turn Down That Receipt

Most types of cash register receipts contain BPA. Since it’s a “free” form of the chemical, that means it gets onto your hands and into your body in greater quantity than with some of these other products.

If possible, just say no to the receipt when you’re at the store. If you do handle receipts, wash your hands as soon as possible, especially before handling food. You can also ask the store manager if they’re using BPA free receipts. The types that do not contain BPA are thermal paper from Appleton Paper or regular “bond” paper where the information is printed onto the receipt using ink.

4. Ditch the Type 3 and 7 Plastics

That bottled water delivered to your home or office is most likely stored in #7 plastic, and there are alternatives you can seek out.

You’ll also want to check your baby bottles and water bottles carefully, as some varieties of those are made with #3 and #7 plastic. The plastic number should be at the bottom inside something that looks like a recycle symbol. You definitely don’t want your child drinking out of BPA-laden plastic! 

5. Take Care When Canning

Canning is a great way to preserve the harvest, but many canning jars also contain BPA in the lining. Fortunately, there are BPA free options, like these jars with glass lids from Weck Jars.

6. Nurse Your Baby

In most situations, breast is best, and we’re now learning that infant formulas contain BPA from the packaging. You can lower the risk of BPA exposure by using powdered formula, if breast feeding is not an option. EWG has more detailed tips on BPA in formula and baby bottles.

7. Get Heard

Of course, the best way to avoid BPA would be to ban the stuff all together. Start a petition to tell Congress to ban BPA in all consumer products.

7 Sneaky Things That Can Sabotage Your Diet

Losing weight isn’t always as easy as making healthier food choice and exercising more. Keep reading to find out how your job, travel schedule, and other factors affect your diet.

TRAVEL

Packed travel schedule? All that jetsetting may put a damper on your weight loss efforts. In a study published last October, scientists found that the disruption in circadian rhythms caused by jet lag disturbs the microbes in your gut, favoring growth of bacteria linked to a higher risk of obesity.

YOUR DINING ROOM LIGHTING

Want to keep dinner light? Turn off the bright floor lamp and light a few candles—a Cornell University study found that people who ate in brightly lit places consumed 174 more calories than those who ate under soft, warm lighting. 

YOUR JOB

Stressful meeting? It may negatively affect your weight loss…which is stressful. Researchers at Ohio State University found that women who burn fewer calories in the 24 hours following a stressful event—104 fewer calories to be exact, which could add up to 11 extra pounds in a year.

SEEING JUNK FOOD

Out of sight, out of mind? When it comes to avoiding junk food, yes! A 2011 study found that even briefly seeing and smelling food increases appetite, planned consumption, and actual consumption. Keep your partner’s or roommate’s snack hidden away in a cabinet if you’re trying to cut down, and avert your eyes from the office candy bowl—the closer and more visible it is, the more you’re likely to nosh.

FAKE SUGAR

You’re saving calories when you opt for a diet soda instead of regular or put Splenda in your coffee instead of sugar, but you may be doing some harm in the long-term. “Non-nutritive sweeteners are far more potent than table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. A miniscule amount produces a sweet taste comparable to that of sugar, without comparable calories. Overstimulation of sugar receptors from frequent use of these hyper-intense sweeteners may limit tolerance for more complex tastes,” says obesity and weight-loss specialist Dr. David Ludwig.

YOUR WORKOUT

An hour on the treadmill doesn’t just work up a sweat—it can work up your cravings, too. Though the average person craves about three calories for every 10 calories burned, some of us consume 11 or more for every 10 we burn, canceling out the calorie-torching effects of our workout.

SKIMPING ON SLEEP

You’re probably tired of hearing how important sleep is when it comes to your health, brain, and even your love life…but we’ll remind you again. In fact, getting two thirds of your usual sleep time a night can lead you to consume up to 549 extra calories a day, according to one study.

Stop Doing This One Thing and You’ll Add Years to Your Life

From furthering your education and reducing cholesterol to quitting smoking and being open to new experiences, there are plenty of science-proven ways to add years to your life.

Here’s another one: stop checking your smartphone all the time.

In relation to, say, eating a bad diet or a pack-a-day habit, it may seem like a fairly innocuous pastime, but science disagrees.

SMARTPHONE ADDICTION IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN WE THOUGHT

It turns out our smartphone addiction is more dangerous than we thought. Along with killing our mood, our manners and our posture, studies have shown it also creates an imbalance in our brain chemistry.

But there’s another problem. Our smartphone obsession is a massive drain on our most precious resource: our time. 

How much time do you spend on your smartphone? If you kept track of how often you checked it throughout the day, you may be shocked to discover it’s a lot more than you think.

One study found that the average person picks up their device 85 times a day and spends a total of five hours surfing the web and using apps. That’s well over a hundred hours per month or a third of the time we’re awake, lost to our smartphones.

WHY OUR SCREENS MAKE US LESS HAPPY  

In his TEDx talk, psychologist Adam Alter —author of Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked— explains why all those hours you spend staring at your smartphone, tablet or computer might be making you miserable—and what you can do about it.

THE NEED FOR STOPPING CUES

Alter says the reason we stay glued to our screens for so long is because there are no stopping cues telling us otherwise. Before the advent of the Internet and the glut of technology that followed, there were stopping cues everywhere.

A television show would end and we’d have to wait a week for the next episode. Newspapers only have so many pages and books have chapters that make us stop and think about whether we want to read more.

With social media, news feeds, gaming and dating apps. we can just scroll and scroll and scroll. There’s no end to what we can consume. Ever felt ‘sucked in’ by Facebook? I know I have, which is why I decided to quit social media.

Without the distraction my smartphone has suddenly lost its magnetic appeal. I’m more productive and focused and funny enough, I don’t miss Instagram and its ilk one bit. It turns out living in the world, rather than Instagramming it, is a lot more satisfying.

HOW TO QUIT THE SMARTPHONE HABIT

If my approach is a little too extreme for your liking, there are plenty of other science-backed ways to break your phone addiction, such as not keeping your phone in close proximity or employing a stopping rule to avoid the ludic loop (that state of tranquility you get lulled into when you’re engaged in an addictive experience).

Alter suggests using daily activities to trigger a reminder that it’s time to put the phone away. For him, meals are a non-negotiable smartphone-free zone. When he’s eating, he’s eating.

Another idea is to have a digital sunset, where you commit to not using your device after a certain time in the evening. Likewise, you could have a digital sunrise time, as well. Along with freeing up a lot of extra hours, bookending your days with device-free time ensures a better night’s sleep and helps you be more productive during the day.

If you’re concerned about how to spend your newfound free time, not to worry. There are plenty of healthy alternatives to scrolling through your phone. Immerse yourself in real life, connect with people, take the time to actually enjoy your meal.

Like any addiction, ditching your smartphone habit won’t be easy right off the bat. Be patient with yourself. Take it slowly and stick with it. The more areas you deem smartphone-free zones, the happier and more liberated you’ll feel.

Should You Soak Dried Beans?

We’ve all been taught to soak dried beans before cooking them. After all, the digestibility of them improves, or at least that’s what we’ve been taught. More recently, people have jumped on the don’t-soak-your-beans bandwagon. To soak or not to soak? That’s the fundamental question of cooking legumes. What’s a cook to do? I thought I’d add my two cents to the pulse predicament.

“Why not just buy canned beans and avoid the whole dilemma altogether?” you may be wondering. After all, they’re convenient and you can just toss them in your meal. Considering that dried beans are roughly one-third the cost of canned beans and are not exposed to can liners that usually contain bisphenol-A, dried beans are certainly more cost-effective and a healthier option. So, while I’m all for adding a BPA-free can of chickpeas to your meal in a pinch to boost its fiber and protein, cooking them yourself can save you money and offer health benefits.

Traditionally, most cooks have been taught the 4-step cooking method which involves:

1) picking out any rocks, twigs or other unwanted material
2) rinsing the beans
3) soaking the beans
4) cooking the beans 

But, let’s face it: most of us don’t have the time for the 4-step cooking method for dried beans.

By some estimates, soaking legumes prior to cooking them reduces the cooking time by about 45 minutes off a typical 2-hour cook time for beans like chickpeas, black beans or kidney beans. In other words, the soaked beans may only require 1 hour and 15 minutes of cook time. Obviously, the reduced energy consumption may not keep a lot of money in your pocket even if you cook and eat beans daily, but it may still save you a bit.

Many people compare the resulting texture and structure of soaked and unsoaked beans that have been cooked for two hours and claim that the unsoaked beans retain their shape better. Well, of course they do. If soaking beans reduces their cook time and you cook them the same amount as unsoaked beans, the soaked beans will lose their shape because they don’t require that much cook time and are actually overcooked.

It is my personal observation as a bean cooker and eater for decades that soaked beans tend to cook more evenly. This means you can avoid the occasional chewy, undercooked beans that often result when beans are cooked without advance soaking.

Having said that, I regularly cook beans without soaking them. It’s rare that I’ve thought about the often-dreaded “what’s for dinner?” question more than an hour or so prior to dinner time, so I really don’t have time to start soaking beans and then cooking them unless I’d like a late-night dinner. So, when I’m in a pinch I skip the soaking and start cooking legumes right away.

I’ve also heard some people say that the taste is better in beans that have not been soaked, which I disagree with. As a long-time professional recipe developer, I’d like to say that my palette is fairly good, but the taste difference between soaked and unsoaked beans is negligible.

However, on days when I’m organized and planning the next day’s meals, I soak beans. And, here’s why: Legumes like any type of seed contain enzyme inhibitors. That’s Nature’s way of preventing seeds from sprouting until they are in appropriate growing conditions. Soaking beans breaks down these enzyme inhibitors, making the legumes easier to digest, contrary to what some cooks and bloggers may be saying. Yes, you will lose some of the water-soluble nutrients like B-complex vitamins in the soak water, but you were going to lose some of these nutrients in the cook water as well.

While these same cooks and bloggers may claim that soaking beans offers no digestive advantage, the reality is quite the opposite. The outer coating of legumes contains compounds known as oligosaccharides, which are basically starches that need to be broken down into sugars before the body can use the natural sugars as energy. Without soaking beans, these oligosaccharides may not be fully broken down by the time they reach your intestines. When bacteria in your intestines digest them, they release gases that can cause bloating and flatulence. In other words, soaking beans ahead of cooking them can help reduce the amount of bloating and flatulence they may cause when you eat them. Soaking beans ahead of time improves their digestibility.

But, here’s what I have told my nutritional clients for years: “use the beans that you will actually eat.” In other words, if you’ll eat more beans by cooking them without soaking them first, then do that. If you need to occasionally dump a can of beans into your favorite soup, stew or curry, then do that. Eating more beans offers plentiful health benefits because they regulate the release of sugars into the bloodstream, which results in better weight management, balanced moods and consistent energy. So, soak beans when you can. If you don’t have time then cook beans whenever you can. And, if you are in a pinch open a BPA-free can of beans to add to your meal.

5 Ways to Avoid the Flu

How are you faring this flu season? If you’ve managed to dodge the ick that’s going around so far, high five! Here are a few ways that you can make your chances of coasting through flu season unscathed even better and avoid the flu naturally! 

1. WASH YOUR HANDS LIKE IT’S YOUR JOB.

Our hands are powerful germ transmitters. Someone with the flu touches something, you touch that same something, and then you touch your mouth, nose, face, or eyes, and you’ve just given the virus a leg up into your body. Boo!

Of course, you always wash your hands after you use your bathroom, but to avoid flu you’ll want to add a little more hand-washing to your routine. After a trip to the grocery store, for example, wash those hands before you put your food away. Do the same when you get home from work or a night out.

It’s also a good idea to keep your hands away from your face. Your nose, mouth, and eyes are all easy entry points for flu germs. You don’t have to obsessively wash your hands, but if you’re the type of person that touches your face a lot, you may want to do a little extra hand-washing to protect yourself. 

2. TAKE YOUR VITAMINS.

Vitamina A, C, D, and E all help support your immune system, so make sure you’re getting plenty! Here are the recommended daily allowances for each (for adults):

• Vitamin A – 900 micrograms
• Vitamin C – 75-90 micrograms; take an extra 35 micrograms per day if you smoke
• Vitamin D – 600 IU, but for extra flu protection you might want to up it to 1000 IU
• Vitamin E - 15 milligrams or 22.4 IU

Of course, you can also get more of these vitamins by adding vitamin-rich foods to your diet. Try orange veggies – like carrots and sweet potatoes – for vitamin A, citrus for vitamin C, and avocados for a vitamin E boost. The only one that’s tricky to get through diet is vitamin D.  

3. IF YOU CAN, QUARANTINE!

This can be a tricky one, especially if you work in an office. If your cube-mate or office-mate has the flu, you might strongly suggest that he head home to rest. Yeah, to rest! If you have your own cube or office, try to hide out there, if the flu is going around on your floor.

At home, you can try to keep the sick away by putting some space between you and your sick spouse or roommate. That doesn’t have to mean avoiding them completely, of course. It just means doing what you can to avoid their germs. Maybe don’t sit right next to them while you watch a movie, and if you’re having supper together, now’s a good time for you to volunteer to do the cooking.

When my husband got sick a few months ago, he slept in the guest room to try to keep the germs off of me, since being pregnant and sick totally sucks. I don’t think we would have done something this extreme if I hadn’t been pregnant, but I do think it helped! I managed to avoid getting his cold. 

4. GET PLENTY OF EXERCISE

You knew exercise was good for your heart, but there’s more and more evidence that it supports a healthy immune system, too!

Moderate exercise can help protect you from the flu, but the key here is moderate. Endurance exercise, like distance running, can actually weaken your immune system, especially if your body isn’t conditioned to it. 

If you’re new to exercise, getting started is often the hardest part. It might seem like it’s too expensive to join a gym, or maybe you feel like you just plain don’t have time to fit a workout into your busy schedule. Even 30 minutes a day a few days a week can make a difference in your immune health. Do what you can, and your body will thank you! 

5. CUT BACK ON BOOZE.

Too much alcohol can make your immune system less able to fight the flu.

One study looked at how 4-5 drinks a day effects immune health, and it’s probably no surprise that this level of alcohol consumption suppresses immune activity significantly. Of course, 4-5 drinks per day is a lot of boozin’! Like with anything else, it’s all about moderation.

If you want a glass of wine after a tough day, you’re probably not doing anything to harm your immune system, but if you’re a regular drinker, cutting back can make a big difference. Having an occasional drink is fine – in fact, it could even help improve bone health! – but limit yourself to 1-2 drinks, and cut it out completely if you’re feeling run down. 

9 Sneaky Things You Touch Every Day That Could be Toxic

Though it's second nature to crumple up a receipt and toss it in your purse or pocket, Will Bulsiewicz, MD, MSCI, board-certified gastroenterologist, warns against touching your proof of purchase. Many receipts are printed on thermal paper, which means they're covered with a thin coating of powder that develops the dye needed for the type, he explains. "This powder contains BPA, an endocrine-disrupting chemical which has been linked to breast cancer, diabetes, and hormone abnormalities in children."

He adds that many studies have shown that BPA is absorbed through the skin, making it important to limit your interaction with this chemical. "If you don't need a receipt, ask the cashier not to print it if possible. If you do need it, ask for it to be placed in the bag; don't place the receipt in a bag with food items, particularly items that are consumed raw. Finally, be sure to wash your hands well after handling any receipts," he advises. 

Bug sprays and repellents 

Though it might prevent some bites, infectious disease specialist and clinical assistant professor Alexea M. Gaffney-Adams, MD, says some of the ingredients of your favorite bug spray may raise an eyebrow, specifically, "organophosphates," found in pesticides, herbicides, nerve agents, and chemical agents. They're also known as plasticizers, which is about as scary as they sound.

"These compounds are readily absorbed through the skin and inhaled. They poison insects—and humans—by disrupting neurotransmitters necessary for proper body functions. They can affect breathing and muscle function and they can cause cardiovascular collapse and death in large amounts," she explains. "Prolonged exposures—like in farmers—have been linked to heart and lung disease, impaired memory, p  

Laundry detergent 

You may be surprised to know that washing your clothes can actually be ripe with risk, according to family physician and general practitioner Maskfika N. Alam, MD. In addition to being filled with harsh chemicals, "Many detergents contain 'phenol,' which can be easily absorbed through your skin and can cause renal and hepatic dysfunction," she shares. When in doubt, go with an organic brand of laundry detergent, especially if you have allergies, eczema, or sensitive skin. 

Fire retardants 

Take a glance around your home, taking note of your clothing and furniture. Believe it or not, you (and your child's) jacket might share the same dangerous chemical as your couch. Meant to keep us safe, fire retardants have actually been linked to disorders, infertility, and cancer, according to Dr. Bulsiewicz. "They are used in most infant clothing and can be found in foam cushions in sofas and chairs, as well as children's car seats, nursing pillows, and other upholstered products," he says. "To avoid coming into contact with fire retardants, be sure to buy only natural fiber clothing, particularly for children and infants." And if you're upgrading your living room's look, Bulsiewicz recommends only opting for newer furniture products that contain foam, as most furniture made in the United States after 2005 does not contain fire retardants. 

Non-stick coated cookware 

If you need to whip out some miracle recipes in a hot second for your family, you might opt for non-stick coated cookware pans or casserole dishes. However, Adam S. Gropper, MD, explains these non-stick coatings can melt when they are overheated, revealing aluminum that's super-unhealthy when digested. "Ingested aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's disease and several cancers. If you see flaking or gauging in your coated cookware, it's time to replace," he advises.  

Deodorant/antiperspirant 

Another surprising—and scary—place you might find aluminum? In that stick that gets a bit of under-the-arm action daily. Though meant to keep you feeling fresh and warding away stinky post-workout situations, Dr. Gropper says many formulas utilize aluminum to clot your pores and prevent excessive sweating. But since absorbing aluminum is linked to Alzheimer's disease and both prostate and breast cancers, Dr. Gropper recommends trying out an natural antiperspirant instead.  

Perfumes or body spray 

Though they may make you smell good, Dr. Alam says some perfumes or body sprays contain hazardous compounds that can harm the delicate mucosal surfaces of our respiratory tract. In other words, you might be coughing and sneezing up a storm. And even if you are mostly healthy, many people develop a headache in addition to a coughing fit.  

Air fresheners 

In the moment, it might clear out a stench in the bathroom or one left from your trouble-making cat, but inhaling these chemicals isn't safe for anyone in your family, your pooch included. Similar to perfumes, Dr. Alam explains the artificial fragrances that are added to air fresheners can pose the same symptoms, even irritating your eyes and causing inflammation. "Chronic inhalation of phthalates can cause asthma and can damage your lungs." 

Hand sanitizer and antibacterial soaps 

You may think these are helping you stay healthy and avoid the office cold, but these products could do more harm than good in the long run. The compound triclosan is found in more than 75 percent of hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps, as well as in gym equipment, linens, underwear, plastic products, and more. "It is another 'endocrine buster' resulting in reproductive toxicity through alterations in hormone regulation according to the FDA," Dr. Gaffney-Adams explains. Triclosan has been linked to thyroid disease, allergies, asthma, and eczema.

If that's not enough, it is also a suspected carcinogen, and when you overuse these products, you may build an antibiotic resistance in bacteria, making human infections more difficult to treat, she adds.

North Korea earned $200 mn from banned exports, sends arms to Syria, Myanmar: UN report

North Korea violated United Nations sanctions to earn nearly $200 million in 2017 from banned commodity exports, according to a confidential report by independent UN monitors, which also accused Pyongyang of supplying weapons to Syria and Myanmar.

The report to a UN Security Council sanctions committee, seen by Reuters on Friday, said North Korea had shipped coal to ports, including in Russia, China, South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam, mainly using false paperwork that showed countries such as Russia and China as the coal origin, instead of North Korea.

The 15-member council has unanimously boosted sanctions on North Korea since 2006 in a bid to choke funding for Pyongyang`s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, banning exports including coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, and capping imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products.


"The DPRK (North Korea) is already flouting the most recent resolutions by exploiting global oil supply chains, complicit foreign nationals, offshore company registries and the international banking system," the UN monitors wrote in the 213-page report.

The North Korean mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the UN report. Russia and China have repeatedly said they are implementing UN sanctions on North Korea.

SYRIA, MYANMAR


The monitors said they had investigated ongoing ballistic missile cooperation between Syria and Myanmar, including more than 40 previously unreported North Korea shipments between 2012 and 2017 to Syria`s Scientific Studies and Research Centre, which oversees the country`s chemical weapons program.

The investigation has shown "further evidence of arms embargo and other violations, including through the transfer of items with utility in ballistic missile and chemical weapons programs," the UN monitors wrote.

They also inspected cargo from two North Korea shipments intercepted by unidentified countries en route to Syria. Both contained acid-resistant tiles that could cover an area equal to a large scale industrial project, the monitors reported.


One country, which was not identified, told the monitors the seized shipments can "be used to build bricks for the interior wall of a chemical factory."

Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013. However, diplomats and weapons inspectors suspect Syria may have secretly maintained or developed a new chemical weapons capability.

The Syrian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the UN report.


The UN monitors also said one country, which they did not identify, reported it had evidence that Myanmar received ballistic missile systems from North Korea, along with conventional weapons, including multiple rocket launchers and surface-to-air missiles.

Myanmar UN Ambassador Hau Do Suan said the Myanmar government "has no ongoing arms relationship, whatsoever, with North Korea" and is abiding by the UN Security Council resolutions.

BANNED EXPORTS, IMPORTS

Under a 2016 resolution, the UN Security Council capped coal exports and required countries to report any imports of North Korean coal to the council sanctions committee. It then banned all exports of coal by North Korea on August 5.


The UN monitors investigated 16 coal shipments between January and August 5 to ports in Russia, China, Malaysia and Vietnam. They said Malaysia reported one shipment to the council committee and the remaining 15 shipments violated sanctions.

After the coal ban was imposed on August 5, the UN monitors investigated 23 coal shipments to ports in Russia, China, South Korea and Vietnam. The UN monitors said all those shipments "would constitute a violation of the resolution, if confirmed."

"The DPRK combined deceptive navigation patterns, signals manipulation, transshipments as well as fraudulent documentation to obscure the origin of the coal," the monitors said.


The UN monitors "also investigated cases of ship-to-ship transfers of petroleum products in violation (of UN sanctions) ... and found that the network behind these vessels is primarily based in Taiwan province of China."

The monitors said one country, which they did not name, told them North Korea had carried out such transfers off its ports of Wonsan and Nampo and in international waters between the Yellow Sea and East China Sea between October and January.

The report said several multinational oil companies, which were not named, were also being investigated for roles in the supply chain of petroleum products transferred to North Korea.